At 48 degrees, Delhi scorches. This Heat Wave: What’s the Cause?

New Delhi:

17 areas in the northwest had temperatures above 48 degrees Celsius during a severe heatwave that is pushing the limits of human endurance. Mungeshpur, in Delhi, recorded 48.8 degrees yesterday. In the meantime, Sirsa in Haryana recorded 48.4 degrees.
In the meantime, Rajasthan saw a rise in heatstroke cases yesterday, from 2809 to 3622.

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) monitored the risky patterns causing high temperatures as well as heat waves in six important Indian cities. The think tank evaluated information from Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad.

Analysis of Heat Waves:

The Urban Heat Island Effect—a differential in temperature between urban and rural areas—has gotten greater in India due to severe heat waves.

High temperatures and humidity are essential to preventing heat stress in cities, according to Sharanjeet Kaur, a program officer at the Centre for Science and Environment, who spoke with.

“Normally, heatwaves happen from March to July, but these days, there is more humidity than heat, which might lead to heat stress. At night, the temperature is comparatively high. “Heat is trapped in concrete structures and pavements during the day, making nights warmer,” the speaker stated.

Acute thermal discomfort and heat stress in cities are caused by a lethal mix of air temperature, land surface temperature, and relative humidity, according to the CSE analysis.

The data reveals a concerning trend in urban areas: a rise in concretization and a fall in open space and water reservoirs. The built-up areas and concretization of all cities have increased significantly, which adds to the urban heat island effect.

Heat is trapped in concrete because it absorbs heat throughout the day but cannot release infrared heat. Water is released into the atmosphere by transpiration, which is the process by which plants absorb water and then evaporatively release it through their leaves and stems, in rural locations where there is comparatively greater green cover.

Among the megacities, Kolkata had the lowest percentage of green space and the largest percentage of area covered by concrete in 2023. In comparison, Delhi has the most greenery and the least amount of concrete. Chennai’s built-up area has doubled in the past 20 years. Kolkata, on the other hand, saw the slowest rate of concretization, with only a 10% rise in its built-up area.

Relative Humidity Gaining.

All zones have higher relative humidity, according to the data. In warm-humid and moderate climate zones, this rise has made heat stress worse, whereas in composite and hot-dry climate zones, particularly during monsoons, it has neutralized the drop in air temperatures. In comparison to the 2001–10 average, the average relative humidity (RH) has grown dramatically over the past ten summers.

The average relative humidity has risen by five to ten percent in other megacities, except Bengaluru. In arid regions such as Hyderabad, there was a 10% rise in relative humidity between 2001 and 2010. In the meantime, it went up by 8% in Delhi. Delhi and Hyderabad are still significantly less humid than Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. High heat and relative humidity have a negative effect on people’s health and thermal comfort. Miss

Plan for Heat Action Management.

Although May is usually the hottest month, Soma Sen Roy, a scientist with the India Meteorological Department, previously told Reuters that this month’s heatwave days in the northwest are expected to be seven to ten, rather than the typical two to three days.

She claimed that the main causes were fewer non-monsoon thundershowers and an active but waning El Nino, a climatic pattern that usually brings hot, dry weather to Asia and more rain to some parts of the Americas.

The study claimed that future urbanization will magnify the anticipated rise in local air temperature when climate change projections and urban expansion scenarios are combined.

“We have evaluated the shift in land coverings by analyzing satellite photos. In order to reverse the current land use, we must ensure that urban areas have more green space and water reservoirs. We must improve access to drinking water, activate emergency action plans, expand shaded places, and bolster scientific land use monitoring,” Ms. Kaur stated.

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Food delivery drivers are among the gig workers that are especially susceptible to heat stress. The impoverished are more likely to experience heat exhaustion, so they should be given water or umbrellas for self-protection, she continued.

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