Heat Waves In India | Explained Heat Index, El Nino And La Nina Effect on Indian Monsoon #heatwaves

Courtesy - National Geographics, Met Office, Ocean Today

A heat wave is an extended period of excessively hot weather that can have serious consequences for human health and the environment. In a heat wave, temperatures rise significantly above the average for a particular region and time of year. Heat waves can cause exhaustion, stroke, and even death in extreme cases.
A heat wave is not just high temperature, it is defined by unusual temperature increases. For instance, a location that typically experiences 40 degrees Celsius in summer is not considered to be having a heat wave even if the temperature rises to 42 or 43 degrees. Conversely, a place where the normal temperature is 27 or 28 degrees would be experiencing a heat wave if the temperature reaches 35 degrees.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a heat wave is considered if the maximum temperature of a station reaches at least 40 degree Celsius or more for Plains and at least 30 degree Celsius or more for Hilly regions. However, it also notes the temperatures at which heat waves are declared differ from place to place based on the temperature climatology of the region.

This year, a heat wave has triggered a severe water and power crisis in several areas of the Jammu division, prompting the authorities to set up control rooms and appoint nodal officers in each district to cater to public complaints. Jammu has been reeling under an extreme heat for the past fortnight.
Climate researchers say that heat waves occur when there is high pressure in the atmosphere that forces hot air downward and traps it near the ground. This high-pressure system acts like a lock that prevents the hot air from rising, causing the temperature to rise further.
The air compresses and heats up as it sinks, leading to extreme heat conditions. Additionally, climate change contributes to more frequent and intense heat waves by altering global weather patterns and increasing the likelihood of prolonged periods of high pressure.
While summer temperatures in India typically peak in May, the IMD has forecasted 7-10 heat wave days in the northwestern regions this month, compared to the usual 2-3 days.
This increase is mainly attributed to fewer non-monsoon thunderstorms and an active but weakening El Nino, a climate pattern that usually brings hot and dry weather to Asia and heavier rains to parts of the Americas.
Additionally, warm westerly winds from Pakistan are contributing to the heat.
Elsewhere in India, summer temperatures have already reached record highs, particularly in the eastern and southern regions, where April temperatures were among the highest on record.
Last month, the weather department also declared a rare heat wave in the southwestern coastal state of Kerala.
Extreme heat can have severe impacts on health. Recent research indicates that there is an increase in premature births during intense and prolonged heat waves.
A team of researchers, including those from the University of Nevada studied 53 million births across the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the US over a 25-year period (1993-2017). They analysed daily counts of preterm and early-term births and found that preterm births increased by 2 per cent, and early-term births increased by 1 percent following a four-day period during which each day's average temperature was among the hottest 2.5 per cent for that region.
Heat waves often result in decreased workforce productivity.

In a country like India, where a large portion of the workforce is engaged in outdoor activities, the consequences are severe. Around 45.76 per cent of the workforce is employed in agriculture, with 83 per cent working in the unorganised sector. Outdoor workers, including farmers, are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, leading to frequent breaks and reduced productivity.
Nautapa are tge nine days when heat is at its worst in India. It is also known as ‘Navtaap’. The term Nautapa translates to ‘nine hot’ (nau = nine, tapa = heat). . These days are also the hottest of the year. In 2024, Nautapa began on May 25 and will continue until June 2.

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