Heat of more than 47 degrees Celsius scorches India

Heat waves in May are not unusual in India, but this year’s heat wave intensity has been particularly severe, with daytime temperatures remaining at 44-46 degrees Celsius in recent days.

Intense heat gripped much of India, with temperatures soaring across the northern, central and eastern states. Vidarbha’s Brahmapuri area recorded a scorching 47.2 degrees Celsius, while images from a thermal camera in Delhi showed surface temperatures crossed 65 degrees Celsius in direct sunlight.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a warning for areas including Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Telangana and Odisha. On May 25, this agency issued a warning about extreme heat, with the highest daily temperature expected to range from 43-45.5 degrees Celsius in the next few days.

The most vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, construction workers and farmers, are being hit hardest by the heat. This situation forced authorities to set up cooling areas, which provide drinking water and basic necessities.

Hospitals are seeing an increase in cases of dehydration, exhaustion and heat stroke. Officials on May 24 said at least 16 people have died from heat stroke in southern India so far this summer.

Clear skies, dry winds and late rains trapped heat across northern India, affecting Delhi, the states of Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh state.

“Extreme heat” is when temperatures remain dangerously higher than normal for many consecutive days, often 40°C or more in the plains. These weather conditions make even the simplest tasks exhausting and increase the risk of heat-related illnesses.

With extremely high daytime temperatures and barely cool nights, people’s pace of life slows down significantly. Millions of people in Delhi and neighboring states are experiencing one of the harshest early summers in recent years.

Unusually hot at night gives the body no time to recover. Streets and markets are deserted during the afternoon rush hour, and outdoor workers struggle to work, while others try to stay indoors whenever possible. Demand for electricity increased sharply because most families turned on air conditioners, and the productivity of millions of outdoor workers continued to decline.

According to meteorological experts, the disturbance from the west could cause temperatures to drop by 6-8 degrees Celsius from the end of May 28 to 29, while also bringing clouds, wind or scattered rains to help break the long chain of hot and dry days.

However, northern India is in the hottest phase of summer. This year’s forecast shows that some parts of the north and central regions could experience prolonged hot and dry conditions, with daytime temperatures in many areas expected to exceed 40-46 degrees Celsius, with some reaching 47-48 degrees Celsius. Cities across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan could experience intense heat.

India is no stranger to fiery summers, but scientific studies have found that climate change is causing heatwaves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.