India records temperature at 50 degrees: Understanding the causes behind country's extreme heatwave | Delhi News - Times of India (2024)

NEW DELHI: In scorching Rajasthan, Phalodi reached a blistering 50 degrees Celsius, turning Sunday into a real test of endurance for people across India, especially those heading out to cast their votes in the ongoing elections.
The India Meteorological Department noted that this is the highest temperature recorded since June 1, 2019, when Churu, also in Rajasthan, felt the heat at 50.8 degrees Celsius.

Let's not forget Phalodi's record-setting moment back in 2016, when it hit a blazing 51 degrees Celsius.

(

IMD

) predicted on Monday that the country can expect '

above normal

'

monsoon rainfall

overall, especially in the monsoon core zone crucial for rain-fed agriculture, during the

June to September

rainy season.

This is a positive signal for the

economy

, with a 61% probability of 'above normal' rainfall predicted.

However, relief from the sweltering heat won't come soon for most parts of northwest India. The region will continue to endure scorching temperatures in June, with only brief relief expected after three days due to western disturbances. The IMD forecasts at least four to six days of heatwave conditions next month.

Other regions of the country will also experience normal to above normal maximum and minimum temperatures in June. While climate change is a significant factor in rising temperatures, there are multiple underlying reasons contributing to the extreme heat in India. Let's dig into deeper into the causes behind these scorching temperatures.

Historic temperatures
Official data revealed that on Wednesday, temperatures soared to 45°C or higher in at least 24 locations across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Rajasthan, Phalodi reached a blistering 50 degrees Celsius.

The El Niño effect
Scientists had already predicted the incoming heatwave in India, largely due to the El Niño effect.
El Niño alters global weather patterns by shifting warm water to the eastern Pacific, heating the air and causing hotter weather worldwide.
The current cycle which began in 2023 and is expected to last until June 2024, potentially making this summer extremely hot. NOAA report shows that 2023 was hotter than previous years.
How heatwave is form in India?
A series of atmospheric and oceanic events triggers heatwaves over north-central and eastern India. Persistent hot and dry conditions in the wheat-growing north-central region, like the 2015 event that claimed over 2,500 lives are linked to stationary high-pressure systems.
These systems disrupt normal weather patterns by blocking usual flows and allowing slow-moving Rossby waves to transfer heat.
El Niño, which raises ocean temperatures, along with a high-pressure system blocking moist sea breezes from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, led to record-high April temperatures in many parts of India this year.
Even Kerala, a coastal state in the southwest where heatwaves are rare, was affected. However it's raining heavily today.
What are Rossby waves?
Think about the atmosphere as a large, moving fluid. Just like water in the ocean, the air in the atmosphere moves in waves.
The Earth is spinning and this rotation affects how air moves around the planet. The rotation causes the Coriolis effect, which influences the direction of winds and ocean currents.
Rossby waves are large waves in the atmosphere that form because of the Earth's rotation. They are named after Carl-Gustaf Rossby, who first identified them, according to

NASA

.
These waves play a crucial role in our weather. When a Rossby wave moves, it can change the position of high and low-pressure systems, bringing different weather conditions to various parts of the world.
For example, it might cause cold air to move south or warm air to move north.
The urban effect
A study by the Centre for Science and Environment identifies the "urban heat island" effect as a key factor in rising temperatures. This phenomenon occurs when densely built areas trap heat, reduce green spaces, create congestion, and absorb and generate additional heat through human activities.
Effect on human body
Intense heat and humidity disrupt the body's ability to cool itself, leading to illness and potentially fatal outcomes even at lower temperatures. This dangerous combination is driving up the heat index, a metric that gauges how uncomfortable the weather feels
World bank report
A World Bank report predicts that by 2030, heat stress could lead to a global loss of 80 million jobs due to decreased productivity, with India potentially bearing 34 million of these job losses.

Record breaking temperatures in Delhi
Delhi experienced record-breaking temperatures due to intense heat, clear skies, and hot winds from Rajasthan on Tuesday.
Mungeshpur and Narela saw the mercury rise to an unprecedented 49.9°C, nine degrees above the usual level, while Najafgarh recorded 49.8°C.
Safdarjung, noted a peak temperature of 45.8°C, five degrees above average and the highest of the year so far.