‘Intense heatwave sweeps East India, spreads to South’
New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports that the intense heatwave affecting vast regions of eastern India has now extended to the southern states as of Tuesday.
Regions in Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu are experiencing temperatures ranging from two to seven degrees Celsius above the usual, with Anantapur and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh recording highs of 43.5 and 43.2 degrees Celsius respectively. Similarly, Salem and Erode in Tamil Nadu have reached 42.3 and 42 degrees Celsius.
This current heatwave, marking the second occurrence in April, has been prevalent in Odisha since April 15 and in Gangetic West Bengal since April 17.
The IMD anticipates that heatwave to severe heatwave conditions will persist in eastern and southern peninsular India over the next five days. Temperature increases of 2-4 degrees Celsius in northwest and eastern India, and 3-4 degrees Celsius in Maharashtra are expected in the coming 4-5 days.
States including West Bengal, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand are likely to face heatwave to severe heatwave conditions in the next five days.
Coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, and states like Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Bihar may experience high humidity, adding to the discomfort.
Odisha is expected to have warm nights between April 25-27, which can be hazardous as it prevents the body from cooling down. Urban areas, in particular, may experience increased nighttime heat due to the urban heat island effect.
The criteria for a heatwave are met when a weather station’s maximum temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in plains, 37 degrees in coastal regions, and 30 degrees in hilly areas, with a deviation from normal by at least 4.5 degrees. A severe heatwave is declared when the temperature exceeds the normal by more than 6.4 degrees.
With El Nino conditions present but diminishing, the IMD had previously cautioned about extreme heat during the April-June period, coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections, raising concerns about the population’s vulnerability to heatwaves.
The first phase of elections occurred on April 19, with the second phase scheduled for April 26.
The Met Office predicts an increase in heatwave days in April, expecting four to eight days as opposed to the typical one to three days. The entire April-June period could see ten to 20 heatwave days, exceeding the usual four to eight days.
Regions such as Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Bihar, and Jharkhand may experience an elevated number of heatwave days, with some areas potentially facing over 20 such days.
The severe heat poses a risk of straining power grids and causing water shortages across India.
Global weather agencies, including the IMD, anticipate the development of La Nina conditions later in the year, which typically results in abundant rainfall during the monsoon season, contrasting with the drier conditions associated with El Nino.
The IMD’s mid-April forecast predicts above-normal cumulative rainfall for India’s 2024 monsoon season, with the onset of La Nina conditions by August-September being a significant influence.
The monsoon season is vital for India’s agriculture, with over half of the net cultivated area relying on it. It also plays a crucial role in replenishing reservoirs essential for drinking water and power generation throughout the nation.
