Delhi hotter than before with more hotspots, greater variations in maximum temperatures

New Delhi: Delhi has become hotter than before with more heat hotspots, high variations in maximum temperatures within city areas and sudden rise of mercury up to 26 degrees Celsius in areas within a month. These findings indicate that the city may need to rethink its climate action plans to deal with the soaring heat stress, said experts.

- Kushagra Dixit

Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has analysed the temperature trends for Delhi, along with Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad, from January 2015 to May 2022. The study revealed that while Delhi recorded a significant rise in all three temperature parameters — surface air temperature, land surface temperature and relative humidity (heat index), it also has maximum variations in temperatures in different areas.

Loss in green cover, seasonal loss of vegetation and urban activities are believed to be among the reasons behind the drastic rise in the number of heat hotspots in Delhi. The study noted that after peaking of pre-monsoon temperatures in 2016 — one of the hottest summers in the city, it had been cooling down until this year.