India and Pakistan in the grip of extreme heat. Temperatures up to 50 degrees
Environment — di Andrea Barolini
The two nations are facing an exceptional heatwave. “Boiling dust storms” are also expected.
India and Pakistan in the grip of extreme heat. Temperatures up to 50 degrees
The two nations are facing an exceptional heatwave. “Boiling dust storms” are also expected.
44 degrees Celsius in India and 50 in Pakistan. For weeks, the two Asian nations have been in the grip of an exceptional heatwave. "Our country is burning," Chandra Bhushan, one of India's foremost experts on the environment and climate change, told the Times of India. According to the meteorological department (Imd), March was the hottest month in the past 122 years, that is, since temperatures have been recorded regularly.
In India, the hottest March in 122 years
In India, the thermometer recorded a national average maximum of 33.1 degrees, with numerous locations exceeding 40 degrees. "Temperatures and heatwaves," Bhushan commented, as reported by the French newspaper Novethic, "have increased markedly since the 1980s. Each of the last four decades has been warmer than the previous one. And the period between 2011 and 2020 was the one with the highest temperatures since 1901. Furthermore, 11 of the 15 hottest years on record were registered between 2007 and 2021."
Scorching & dangerous heat on the way for India & Pakistan.
Temperatures will approach April record levels. The high 40s Celsius are expected, parts of Pakistan close to 50°C.
It has been hot here for a very long time now... since early March.
Temperatures will approach April record levels. The high 40s Celsius are expected, parts of Pakistan close to 50°C.
It has been hot here for a very long time now... since early March.
A portion of the vast Asian nation was at least able to breathe a little thanks to the pre-monsoons, which arrived at the beginning of April. But extreme conditions persist across numerous areas. According to the Imd, wind could now be added to the heat, which could trigger "boiling dust storms" in the coming hours. This is particularly the case in the regions of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
In Asia, the extreme phenomenon is affecting more than a billion people
In the capital itself, after temperatures exceeding 40 degrees were recorded last week, the mercury is expected to surpass 44 degrees. According to The Weather Channel, "the chances of rainfall bringing some relief from this stifling heat are extremely low. Most of the territory should remain completely dry."
This is how the annual temperature has changed in Pakistan & India since the 19th Century using data from @BerkeleyEarth
As our planet warms, heatwaves will become more intense. Dangerous levels of heat can also occur at a greater portion of the year.
As our planet warms, heatwaves will become more intense. Dangerous levels of heat can also occur at a greater portion of the year.
Even worse is the situation in Pakistan, where the thermometer is expected to exceed 50 degrees Celsius in some areas. Overall, the heatwave is so extensive that it is affecting more than a billion people. All of this is compounded by conditions of high humidity (despite the monsoon season not yet having begun), which make the extreme heat even more unbearable.