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San Francisco Chronicle
28-05-2025
- Climate
- San Francisco Chronicle
Why California's coming heat wave could be more dangerous than you think
The Bay Area is heading into its first heat event of the season and it's arriving abruptly. A heat advisory is in effect for California's interior Friday and Saturday, including parts of the East Bay, North Bay and South Bay. It comes as a strong area of high pressure builds over the West, triggering a sharp temperature spike that could push some Central Valley cities toward record highs for May. In the Bay Area, it's not just the peak temperatures that make this heat event notable, it's how quickly they arrive. In places like Livermore, highs are expected to jump from the low to mid-80s on Thursday to triple digits by Friday: that's an almost 20-degree spike in just 24 hours. This kind of surge would rank among the most abrupt single-day warmups the region has seen in the last quarter century. The South Bay will see a similar surge. San Jose is forecast to rise from the low 80s on Thursday to the upper 90s by Friday, a 13- to 15-degree spike in one day. That would rank among the sharpest single-day warmups in the past 25 years. The jump will be a bit less dramatic in the North Bay, where hotter spots like Santa Rosa and Napa are expected to climb about 10 degrees, from around 90 on Thursday to near 100 by Friday. What makes the heat even more striking is how unremarkable things have been until now. Most of the Bay Area's inland cities have cruised through May with average highs, warm, but far from hot. San Jose hasn't cracked 90 degrees yet this year; Livermore's and Santa Rosa only did it once. For much of the region, this week marks the first true taste of summer heat. With temperatures ramping up quickly, it's the kind of shift that can catch people off guard. Our bodies need time to adjust to extreme heat, and most of us simply aren't acclimated to triple-digit temperatures yet. That's part of what makes early-season heat especially risky. The National Weather Service's Heat Risk Index notes that first heat events of the year tend to carry higher health risks across all demographics, even for otherwise healthy individuals. Wednesday breakdown San Francisco: A deep and persistent marine layer will blanket much of the city in the morning, potentially producing pockets of drizzle. Partial afternoon sun may break through, but it'll be a chilly day overall. Highs will reach the upper 50s in the Outer Sunset and Richmond and the low 60s downtown, with a steady west wind at 10 to 20 mph. Clouds return overnight with lows around 50 degrees. North Bay: The marine layer will penetrate deeper into the North Bay valleys in the morning, eventually retreating to the immediate Marin coastline. The rest of the day will be mostly sunny but cool. Highs will be in the upper 60s in Vallejo, the low 70s in San Rafael and Petaluma and the upper 70s to around 80 degrees in Santa Rosa and Vacaville. Winds from the west will funnel through the valleys at 10 to 25 mph. Partly cloudy skies overnight with lows in the 50s. East Bay: Marine layer clouds will linger west of the Berkeley Hills through much of the morning, with drizzle possible in the hills. It'll be sunny inland, with sunshine gradually pushing toward the bay shore by afternoon. Highs will reach the upper 60s in Richmond and Oakland, and the low to mid-70s in Hayward, Concord and Livermore. A stiff westerly breeze will kick up along the bay shore, with gusts up to 25 mph. Overnight, clouds return to the water, while inland areas stay mostly clear with lows in the low 50s. Pacific Coast and Peninsula: Patchy drizzle and low clouds will dominate the morning hours along the coast, especially in Pacifica and Half Moon Bay, where highs will stay stuck in the upper 50s. A bit of sun may peek through in the afternoon, but don't expect much clearing along Highway 1. Daly City and Redwood City should see partial afternoon sunshine, with highs ranging from the low 60s to around 70 degrees. West winds will gust up to 25 mph in the afternoon. Overnight, clouds and patchy drizzle return to the coast, with lows in the low 50s. South Bay and Santa Cruz: Morning clouds will give way to sunshine across the South Bay, with highs in the upper 60s in Mountain View, low 70s in San Jose, and upper 70s in Gilroy. Santa Cruz starts off gray with patchy drizzle, but skies clear by midday, with highs in the low to mid-70s. The Santa Cruz Mountains will stay cooler, topping out in the 60s to low 70s. Winds will pick up out of the northwest at 10 to 20 mph by afternoon. Overnight, patchy drizzle may return to the coast, with lows in the upper 40s to low 50s.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Kol, 5 Bengal dists at ‘high risk' for extreme heat: Study
1 2 Kolkata: Kolkata is among six Bengal districts flagged as "high-risk" for extreme heat in a nationwide heat risk assessment by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). The report titled 'How Extreme Heat Is Impacting India: Assessing District-level Heat Risk' presents the first composite Heat Risk Index (HRI) for all 734 districts in India. Significantly, the six Bengal districts do not have a heat action plan to help citizens adapt to the problem. While Bengal is 15th among states on the HRI, indicating a moderate overall risk, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Purulia, East Midnapore and Bankura feature among the 417 districts in India under the high and very high risk category. Unlike in the past, heat stress is not fading in the city with sunset, says the report. Very warm nights and rising humidity are reducing the body's ability to recover from daytime heat, posing serious health risks, especially for the elderly, children, outdoor workers, and people with chronic illnesses. "Heat stress is no longer a future threat — it's a present reality," said Arunabha Ghosh, CEO of CEEW. "We are entering an era of intense, prolonged heat and dangerously warm nights. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo It's time to overhaul our heat action strategies with district-specific solutions," he added. As many as 12 Bengal districts came under the moderate risk category on the list, while northern districts like Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri have been considered low-risk. Cooch Behar and Alipurduar are the only districts in the very low-risk category. The study arrives at a time when 57% of India's districts — home to over 76% of the population — are at risk due to extreme heat. Many cities across India, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, are experiencing increased vulnerability due to urban heat islands and dense populations. To build a momentum for nationwide heat resilience, CEEW launched the report and deliberated on practical strategies for heat action planning, disaster risk reduction, and financing for sustainable cooling. "The urban heat island and shrinking green space have been exacerbating the problem," said Vishwas Chitale, who leads the climate resilience team at CEEW. The report underscores the importance of moving beyond daytime heat metrics. It calls for an urgent update of heat action plans to include measures for night-time heat and rising humidity, especially as the State Disaster Mitigation Fund now recognises heatwaves as a disaster eligible for relief funding. CEEW is also showcasing affordable and scalable heat adaptation strategies such as cool roofs, net-zero cooling shelters, emergency heat stroke rooms and parametric heat insurance. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Kolkata, 5 more Bengal districts at 'high risk' for extreme heat, says study
KOLKATA: Kolkata is among six Bengal districts flagged as "high-risk" for extreme heat in a nationwide heat risk assessment by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). The report titled 'How Extreme Heat Is Impacting India: Assessing District-level Heat Risk' presents the first composite Heat Risk Index (HRI) for all 734 districts in India. Significantly, the six Bengal districts do not have a heat action plan to help citizens adapt to the problem. While Bengal is 15th among states on the HRI, indicating a moderate overall risk, Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Purulia, East Midnapore and Bankura feature among the 417 districts in India under high and very high risk category. Unlike in the past, heat stress is not fading in the city with sunset, says the report. Very warm nights and rising humidity are reducing the body's ability to recover from daytime heat, posing serious health risks, especially for the elderly, children, outdoor workers, and people with chronic illnesses. "Heat stress is no longer a future threat - it's a present reality," said Arunabha Ghosh, CEO of CEEW. "We are entering an era of intense, prolonged heat and dangerously warm nights. It's time to overhaul our heat action strategies with district-specific solutions," he added. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
New Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Rising heat risks threaten over 76% of India's population
A recent study by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) has found that 57% of India's districts—home to over three-fourths of its population—are now at high to very high risk from extreme heat. The report, 'How Extreme Heat is Impacting India: Assessing District-level Heat Risk', issues a stark warning: heat stress is no longer a seasonal discomfort but an accelerating disaster. Using a composite Heat Risk Index (HRI) developed for 734 districts, the CEEW study identifies Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh as the 10 most heat-risk-prone states and Union Territories. The report is based on 35 indicators including frequency of very hot days, warm nights, rising humidity, population exposure, urbanisation trends, and health vulnerabilities. One of the study's most alarming findings is the rapid increase in very warm nights—defined as nights where minimum temperatures exceed the 95th percentile of historical norms. Over the past decade (2012–2022), nearly 70% of districts saw at least five more such nights per summer compared to the 1982–2011 average. In contrast, only 28% of districts experienced similar increases in very hot days. Cities are bearing the brunt. Mumbai saw 15 additional very warm nights, Bengaluru 11, Bhopal and Jaipur 7 each, Delhi 6, and Chennai 4. This trend is largely attributed to the urban heat island effect, where concrete-heavy infrastructure traps heat during the day and releases it at night. 'Very warm nights prevent the human body from recovering after intense daytime heat. This significantly increases the risk of heat strokes and exacerbates conditions like hypertension and diabetes,' said Dr Vishwas Chitale, Senior Programme Lead at CEEW and co-author of the report. The report also highlights a growing secondary risk: increasing relative humidity. The agriculturally dense Indo-Gangetic Plain has witnessed up to a 10% rise in humidity over the past decade. Cities traditionally considered dry, such as Delhi, Chandigarh, Kanpur, and Varanasi, are now recording humidity levels that push the 'felt' temperature several degrees above the actual reading. 'High humidity hampers the body's natural cooling mechanism—sweating—and elevates health risks even during moderately hot days,' said Arunabha Ghosh, CEO of CEEW. 'We're entering an era of prolonged heat, rising humidity, and dangerously warm nights. The science is unequivocal—we must act now.'
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Heat risk soars across India, putting 76% of population in danger: Study
New Delhi: About 57 per cent of Indian districts, home to 76 per cent of India's total population, are currently at 'high' to 'very high' heat risk, according to a new study. According to the study published on Tuesday by Delhi-based climate and energy think-tank Council on Energy Environment and Water (CEEW), the 10 states and union territories with the highest heat risk include Delhi, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It also found that the number of very warm nights has increased faster than that of very hot days in the last decade. Very warm nights and very hot days are defined as periods when minimum and maximum temperatures rise above the 95th percentile threshold, i.e., what was normal for 95 per cent of the time in the past. As part of the study, CEEW researchers developed a Heat Risk Index (HRI) for 734 districts, using 40 years of climate data (1982-2022) and satellite images to study heat trends, land use, water bodies and green cover. They also included data on population, buildings, health and socio-economic factors, along with night temperatures and humidity, for a comprehensive picture of heat risk. 'Our study found that 417 out of 734 Indian districts fell in the high and very high risk categories (151 under high risk and 266 under very high risk). A total of 201 districts fell in the moderate category and 116 fell in either the low or very low categories. 'This does not mean that these districts are free of heat risk but that it is relatively lesser than that of other districts,' Vishwas Chitale, senior programme lead at CEEW, said. According to the study, the number of very hot days is increasing in India, but concerningly, the number of very warm nights is increasing even more, creating health risks. High night temperatures are considered dangerous because the body does not get a chance to cool down. Increasing nighttime temperature is more common in cities because of the urban heat island effect, in which the metro areas are significantly hotter than their surroundings.
