Latest news with #Skymet
an hour ago
- Climate
India on the boil with heat waves disrupting normal lives and raising health concerns
NEW DELHI -- A blistering heat wave is sweeping across northern India with temperatures soaring above the normal, disrupting daily life and raising health concerns. The mercury shot up to 47.3 C (117 F) in Sri Ganganagar, a desert city in the northwestern state of Rajasthan on Monday , according to the Indian Meteorological Department. The record for the country is 51 C (124 F), set in May 2016 in Rajasthan's city of Phalodi. The searing heat is not just a seasonal discomfort but underscores a growing challenge for the country's overwhelmed health infrastructure. A prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures often causes heat strokes, mainly impacting the poor, outdoor workers, children, and the elderly. Last year, a monthslong heatwave across swathes of India killed more than 100 people and led to over 40,000 suspected cases of heat stroke, according to data from the health ministry. The Indian capital, New Delhi, saw its first heatwave of the season with temperatures soaring past 45 C (113 F) in one of its neighborhoods on Monday. The swelter wasn't just numerical as the real-feel temperature, the heat index factoring in relative humidity, was a couple of notches higher. Ryan Rodriguez, a 22-year-old tourist from the U.S. was seen sipping a lemonade to keep himself cool in Delhi. 'It's pretty hot here. I just came from a trip of the Middle East, so I am sort of adjusting to it. But (this is) much hotter than Virginia. I haven't seen any worse heat than this in India so far,' said Rodriguez. For autorickshaw driver Pradeep Kumar, the scorching heat was taking a toll on his health and impacting household income as people avoided daytime commuting. 'This heat makes us very tired. We drink water to keep up. But many times our health gets affected,' Kumar said. 'I feel troubled.' The weather department has issued heatwave warnings for the next couple of days in northern India that include the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and the New Delhi national capital region. Some parts of those ares may witness light showers from Thursday, bringing relief. India declares a heat wave whenever temperatures are above 40 C (104 F) in the plains and 30 C (86 F) or more in its hilly regions. Heatwaves are usually reported from March to June and in some cases in July. The peak month is May, but it was relatively cooler this season due to weather aberrations amid multiple westerly disturbances, said G.P. Sharma, president at private weather forecaster Skymet. In Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state, a punishing heatwave made people's lives difficult as power grids struggled to keep pace with the soaring electricity demand. 'There is no light for hours in the afternoon, just when the heat is unbearable,' said Shabnam Khan, a homemaker in Lucknow, the state's capital city. 'The fan stops, the cooler doesn't work, and we are left sitting on the floor, drenched in sweat.' The state recorded its highest-ever electricity demand of 30,161 megawatts late Sunday as millions of homes and businesses ran cooling systems to beat the heat. Officials expect demand to surpass 32,000 megawatts in the coming weeks. Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Lucknow, said the battle against this brutal summer heat was far from over as seasonal monsoon rains were still weeks away. 'We are seeing the worst of both heat and humidity. This is no longer just a matter of discomfort. It is becoming a public health emergency,' said Singh.
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Climate
- Hamilton Spectator
Northern India on the boil with heat waves disrupting normal lives and raising health concerns
NEW DELHI (AP) — A blistering heat wave is sweeping across northern India with temperatures soaring above the normal, disrupting daily life and raising health concerns. The mercury shot up to 47.3 C (117 F) in Sri Ganganagar, a desert city in the northwestern state of Rajasthan on Monday , according to the Indian Meteorological Department. The record for the country is 51 C (124 F), set in May 2016 in Rajasthan's city of Phalodi. The searing heat is not just a seasonal discomfort but underscores a growing challenge for the country's overwhelmed health infrastructure. A prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures often causes heat strokes, mainly impacting the poor, outdoor workers, children, and the elderly. Last year, a monthslong heatwave across swathes of India killed more than 100 people and led to over 40,000 suspected cases of heat stroke, according to data from the health ministry. The Indian capital, New Delhi, saw its first heatwave of the season with temperatures soaring past 45 C (113 F) in one of its neighborhoods on Monday. The swelter wasn't just numerical as the real-feel temperature, the heat index factoring in relative humidity, was a couple of notches higher. Ryan Rodriguez, a 22-year-old tourist from the U.S. was seen sipping a lemonade to keep himself cool in Delhi. 'It's pretty hot here. I just came from a trip of the Middle East, so I am sort of adjusting to it. But (this is) much hotter than Virginia. I haven't seen any worse heat than this in India so far,' said Rodriguez. For autorickshaw driver Pradeep Kumar, the scorching heat was taking a toll on his health and impacting household income as people avoided daytime commuting. 'This heat makes us very tired. We drink water to keep up. But many times our health gets affected,' Kumar said. 'I feel troubled.' The weather department has issued heatwave warnings for the next couple of days in northern India that include the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and the New Delhi national capital region. Some parts of those ares may witness light showers from Thursday, bringing relief. India declares a heat wave whenever temperatures are above 40 C (104 F) in the plains and 30 C (86 F) or more in its hilly regions. Heatwaves are usually reported from March to June and in some cases in July. The peak month is May, but it was relatively cooler this season due to weather aberrations amid multiple westerly disturbances, said G.P. Sharma, president at private weather forecaster Skymet. In Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state, a punishing heatwave made people's lives difficult as power grids struggled to keep pace with the soaring electricity demand. 'There is no light for hours in the afternoon, just when the heat is unbearable,' said Shabnam Khan, a homemaker in Lucknow, the state's capital city. 'The fan stops, the cooler doesn't work, and we are left sitting on the floor, drenched in sweat.' The state recorded its highest-ever electricity demand of 30,161 megawatts late Sunday as millions of homes and businesses ran cooling systems to beat the heat. Officials expect demand to surpass 32,000 megawatts in the coming weeks. Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Lucknow, said the battle against this brutal summer heat was far from over as seasonal monsoon rains were still weeks away. 'We are seeing the worst of both heat and humidity. This is no longer just a matter of discomfort. It is becoming a public health emergency,' said Singh. ___ Banerjee reported from Lucknow, India. Associated Press video journalist Piyush Nagpal in New Delhi contributed to the report.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Northern India on the boil with heat waves disrupting normal lives and raising health concerns
NEW DELHI (AP) — A blistering heat wave is sweeping across northern India with temperatures soaring above the normal, disrupting daily life and raising health concerns. The mercury shot up to 47.3 C (117 F) in Sri Ganganagar, a desert city in the northwestern state of Rajasthan on Monday , according to the Indian Meteorological Department. The record for the country is 51 C (124 F), set in May 2016 in Rajasthan's city of Phalodi. The searing heat is not just a seasonal discomfort but underscores a growing challenge for the country's overwhelmed health infrastructure. A prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures often causes heat strokes, mainly impacting the poor, outdoor workers, children, and the elderly. Last year, a monthslong heatwave across swathes of India killed more than 100 people and led to over 40,000 suspected cases of heat stroke, according to data from the health ministry. The Indian capital, New Delhi, saw its first heatwave of the season with temperatures soaring past 45 C (113 F) in one of its neighborhoods on Monday. The swelter wasn't just numerical as the real-feel temperature, the heat index factoring in relative humidity, was a couple of notches higher. Ryan Rodriguez, a 22-year-old tourist from the U.S. was seen sipping a lemonade to keep himself cool in Delhi. 'It's pretty hot here. I just came from a trip of the Middle East, so I am sort of adjusting to it. But (this is) much hotter than Virginia. I haven't seen any worse heat than this in India so far,' said Rodriguez. For autorickshaw driver Pradeep Kumar, the scorching heat was taking a toll on his health and impacting household income as people avoided daytime commuting. 'This heat makes us very tired. We drink water to keep up. But many times our health gets affected,' Kumar said. 'I feel troubled.' The weather department has issued heatwave warnings for the next couple of days in northern India that include the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and the New Delhi national capital region. Some parts of those ares may witness light showers from Thursday, bringing relief. India declares a heat wave whenever temperatures are above 40 C (104 F) in the plains and 30 C (86 F) or more in its hilly regions. Heatwaves are usually reported from March to June and in some cases in July. The peak month is May, but it was relatively cooler this season due to weather aberrations amid multiple westerly disturbances, said G.P. Sharma, president at private weather forecaster Skymet. In Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state, a punishing heatwave made people's lives difficult as power grids struggled to keep pace with the soaring electricity demand. 'There is no light for hours in the afternoon, just when the heat is unbearable,' said Shabnam Khan, a homemaker in Lucknow, the state's capital city. 'The fan stops, the cooler doesn't work, and we are left sitting on the floor, drenched in sweat.' The state recorded its highest-ever electricity demand of 30,161 megawatts late Sunday as millions of homes and businesses ran cooling systems to beat the heat. Officials expect demand to surpass 32,000 megawatts in the coming weeks. Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Lucknow, said the battle against this brutal summer heat was far from over as seasonal monsoon rains were still weeks away. 'We are seeing the worst of both heat and humidity. This is no longer just a matter of discomfort. It is becoming a public health emergency,' said Singh. ___ Banerjee reported from Lucknow, India. Associated Press video journalist Piyush Nagpal in New Delhi contributed to the report.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Northern India on the boil with heat waves disrupting normal lives and raising health concerns
NEW DELHI (AP) — A blistering heat wave is sweeping across northern India with temperatures soaring above the normal, disrupting daily life and raising health concerns. The mercury shot up to 47.3 C (117 F) in Sri Ganganagar, a desert city in the northwestern state of Rajasthan on Monday , according to the Indian Meteorological Department. The record for the country is 51 C (124 F), set in May 2016 in Rajasthan's city of Phalodi. The searing heat is not just a seasonal discomfort but underscores a growing challenge for the country's overwhelmed health infrastructure. A prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures often causes heat strokes, mainly impacting the poor, outdoor workers, children, and the elderly. Last year, a monthslong heatwave across swathes of India killed more than 100 people and led to over 40,000 suspected cases of heat stroke, according to data from the health ministry. The Indian capital, New Delhi, saw its first heatwave of the season with temperatures soaring past 45 C (113 F) in one of its neighborhoods on Monday. The swelter wasn't just numerical as the real-feel temperature, the heat index factoring in relative humidity, was a couple of notches higher. Ryan Rodriguez, a 22-year-old tourist from the U.S. was seen sipping a lemonade to keep himself cool in Delhi. 'It's pretty hot here. I just came from a trip of the Middle East, so I am sort of adjusting to it. But (this is) much hotter than Virginia. I haven't seen any worse heat than this in India so far,' said Rodriguez. For autorickshaw driver Pradeep Kumar, the scorching heat was taking a toll on his health and impacting household income as people avoided daytime commuting. 'This heat makes us very tired. We drink water to keep up. But many times our health gets affected,' Kumar said. 'I feel troubled.' The weather department has issued heatwave warnings for the next couple of days in northern India that include the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and the New Delhi national capital region. Some parts of those ares may witness light showers from Thursday, bringing relief. India declares a heat wave whenever temperatures are above 40 C (104 F) in the plains and 30 C (86 F) or more in its hilly regions. Heatwaves are usually reported from March to June and in some cases in July. The peak month is May, but it was relatively cooler this season due to weather aberrations amid multiple westerly disturbances, said G.P. Sharma, president at private weather forecaster Skymet. In Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state, a punishing heatwave made people's lives difficult as power grids struggled to keep pace with the soaring electricity demand. 'There is no light for hours in the afternoon, just when the heat is unbearable,' said Shabnam Khan, a homemaker in Lucknow, the state's capital city. 'The fan stops, the cooler doesn't work, and we are left sitting on the floor, drenched in sweat.' The state recorded its highest-ever electricity demand of 30,161 megawatts late Sunday as millions of homes and businesses ran cooling systems to beat the heat. Officials expect demand to surpass 32,000 megawatts in the coming weeks. Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Lucknow, said the battle against this brutal summer heat was far from over as seasonal monsoon rains were still weeks away. 'We are seeing the worst of both heat and humidity. This is no longer just a matter of discomfort. It is becoming a public health emergency,' ___ Banerjee reported from Lucknow, India. Associated Press video journalist Piyush Nagpal in New Delhi contributed to the report.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: No rain forecast in next 5-6 days, mercury to rise
Despite a wet start to June, mercury is on the rise and the maximum temperature could inch closer to 44°C next week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast, stating that no rain is likely in Delhi-NCR in the next six days. It has not issued a colour-coded alert or a heatwave alert for the region. On Friday, the city saw clear skies and mostly humid weather, with the maximum settling at 38.2°C. Though this was two degrees below normal, relative humidity between 41% and 78% meant that the Heat Index (HI) or 'real feel' temperature was 43°C. IMD has now forecast clear skies, with dry westerly winds to dominate once again, leading to a spike in mercury. The maximum is likely to be between 39-41°C on Saturday, and between 40-42°C on Sunday. 'Next week, this trend will continue, and on Monday, it may touch close to 43°C and around 44°C by Tuesday,' said an IMD official. According to the officials, there is a 'break' in the monsoon at present, with a resumption in progress likely around June 11 or 12. Till then, temperatures are expected to continue to rise in the region. This despite the monsoon progressing at a quicker pace than usual this year. Its onset was declared over Kerala on May 24 – a week in advance and on May 26 in Maharashtra, as compared to a normal date of June 11. Mahesh Palawat, vice president at Skymet said that the cyclonic circulation over northwest Uttar Pradesh was also weakening, leading to a rise in temperature. 'Dry winds from northwest India will continue, leading to a decrease in humidity levels but a rise in temperature. We do not expect any rain for at least the next five days,' he said. It has been an unusually easy summer so far, with excessive rains in May largely keeping the temperature in check. The highest maximum recorded so far this year was 42.3°C on May 16. The month of May ended with 184.6mm in monthly rainfall — the highest ever for Delhi, data from as far as 1901 showed. May also did not see a single heatwave day this year, as compared to six such days last year. Despite a rise in temperature this coming week, heatwave conditions are unlikely in the region, IMD has said. In terms of air quality, the average air quality index (AQI) stood at 161 (moderate). This was down from a reading of 203 (poor) on Thursday, according to Central Pollution Control Board data .
