ON MAY 29, 2024, just as large parts of northern and central India were in the grip of extreme heatwave conditions, the Mungeshpur automatic weather station of the India Meteorological Department (imd) in north Delhi recorded 52.9oC. It was dubbed as the highest-ever maximum temperature recorded in the country. While the weather agency promptly refuted the reading, explaining that the anomalous temperature “could be due to error in the sensor or the local factor”, several other weather stations in Delhi and the National Capital Region that day recorded between 45.2oC to 49.1oC. Gujarat and Rajasthan suffered the worst, with 12 and 11 days of heatwaves, respectively, between May 16 and 26. Several cities shattered their all-time heat records for May. This includes Chandigarh, where temperature soared to 46.7°C on May 29, breaking its record of 46.5°C in May 1988.
Heatwaves are usual in these parts of the country during the summer season. "But the excess heat that made them punishing this year came from the warm winds blowing in from the Arabian Sea," says Raghu Murtugudde, professor of climate studies at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and emeritus professor at the University of Maryland, US. According to research published in Earth Science Reviews in March 2022, the Arabian Sea has warmed by 1.2°C to 1.4°C in the past few decades. Usually, the ingress of warm winds from the Arabian Sea on the west is opposed by the strong trade winds from the northeast. But this year, it was different.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara