As heat wave intensifies, mercury soars to 121 in India
By
Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published May 27, 2020 5:24 PM EDT
A heat wave hit New Dehli, India, with temperatures soaring over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and major concerns of water shortages during the pandemic on May 26.
The weather has been sweltering in parts of India -- and heat will remain intense through the weekend -- but forecasters say relief is in sight before May concludes as some places will experience a drastic drop in temperatures before June begins.
Temperatures this week soared as much as 7 C (13 F) above normal for the end of May, one of the most intense heat waves northern India has endured in recent years.
Temperatures sizzled on Tuesday as New Delhi soared to a sweltering 47.8 C (118 F), well above normal for this time of year in a city that is home to 21 million.
Cities including Jaipur, Lucknow and Bhopal each reached a high temperature of 44 C (111 F) Monday and Tuesday. The city of Nagpur reached a scalding 46.7 C (116 F) for four straight days from Sunday through Wednesday.
A boy bathes in the river Ganges during a hot summer day in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
On Wednesday, the scorching heat produced afternoon highs between 44 and 46 C (111 and 115 F). Some of the highest afternoon temperatures in India were 49 C (121 F) at Churu and 49 C (120 F) at Sri Ganganagar.
In Nawabshah, Pakistan, the afternoon temperature reached as high as 51 C (123 F).
On Thursday, the stifling heat produced another day of afternoon highs between 43 and 46 C (109 and 115 F). Some of the highest afternoon temperatures in India were recorded in the Rajasthan state.
Temperatures eased in New Delhi where conditions were about 6 C (12 F) cooler than Wednesday.
On Friday, afternoon temperatures near 46 C (113 F) were common in central India, highs across northern India struggled to reach as high. New Delhi once again reported a lower temperature to end the week.
India has been dealing with a trifecta of hazards in recent days. In addition to the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted the government to implement the world's biggest lockdown, the heat wave has been oppressive and swarms of locusts have invaded several parts of the country, UPI reported, and are laying waste to crops. Officials estimate as many as 80 million desert locusts, fueled by warmer water in the Indian Ocean and other weather factors, are wreaking havoc throughout the nations.
Officials have reportedly said this year's locust infestation is the worst ever, and New Delhi, the capital city, has been put on alert that the locusts could soon be arriving there. Meanwhile, the scorching heat could be on its last legs in some places.
"Relief from the heat arrived late this week for some major cities in north-central India in the way of thunderstorms," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk.
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Thunderstorms first sparked in northeastern Pakistan and the regions of Jammu and Kashmir to Himachal Pradesh in India on Thursday afternoon, however, these were rather isolated in nature. AccuWeather forecasters expect storms to become more numerous before the weekend.
"Showers and thunderstorms that became more common, and more potent, on Friday will continue through the weekend from a place like New Delhi to northern portions of Madhya Pradesh," added Houk.
Thunderstorms moving into parts of northeast India and Bangladesh are also expected to become heavy at times through the weekend.
The heaviest thunderstorms are expected to produce torrential downpours that can lead to cases of flash flooding and even bring bouts of gusty winds.
Rainfall amounts across the region could total 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) by the end of the weekend, but any area hit by several of the heaviest storms can expect as much as an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 100 mm (4 inches).
"The most widespread concern will be lightning as thunderstorms spread across the region," Houk warned.
As cloud cover and thunderstorms overtake the area, cooler conditions will settle into these regions by Saturday. Instead of an air temperature of 47.8 C (118 F), New Delhi was greeted with an afternoon high of 33 C (91 F), a temperature that is just below normal for late in the month of May.
Temperatures around 32 or 33 C (about 90 F) that settled over north-central India on Saturday are expected to return to the area on Sunday.
Although the thunderstorms will bring heat relief to some locations, this will not be the case for the entire country.
In cities such as Indore, Mumbai and Surat, temperatures haven't broken 43 C (110 F) degrees like some major cities located farther north. Each of these three cities will remain dry through the end of the month, allowing for the stifling heat to persist through the weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
As heat wave intensifies, mercury soars to 121 in India
By Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published May 27, 2020 5:24 PM EDT
A heat wave hit New Dehli, India, with temperatures soaring over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and major concerns of water shortages during the pandemic on May 26.
The weather has been sweltering in parts of India -- and heat will remain intense through the weekend -- but forecasters say relief is in sight before May concludes as some places will experience a drastic drop in temperatures before June begins.
Temperatures this week soared as much as 7 C (13 F) above normal for the end of May, one of the most intense heat waves northern India has endured in recent years.
Temperatures sizzled on Tuesday as New Delhi soared to a sweltering 47.8 C (118 F), well above normal for this time of year in a city that is home to 21 million.
Cities including Jaipur, Lucknow and Bhopal each reached a high temperature of 44 C (111 F) Monday and Tuesday. The city of Nagpur reached a scalding 46.7 C (116 F) for four straight days from Sunday through Wednesday.
A boy bathes in the river Ganges during a hot summer day in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, May 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
On Wednesday, the scorching heat produced afternoon highs between 44 and 46 C (111 and 115 F). Some of the highest afternoon temperatures in India were 49 C (121 F) at Churu and 49 C (120 F) at Sri Ganganagar.
In Nawabshah, Pakistan, the afternoon temperature reached as high as 51 C (123 F).
On Thursday, the stifling heat produced another day of afternoon highs between 43 and 46 C (109 and 115 F). Some of the highest afternoon temperatures in India were recorded in the Rajasthan state.
Temperatures eased in New Delhi where conditions were about 6 C (12 F) cooler than Wednesday.
On Friday, afternoon temperatures near 46 C (113 F) were common in central India, highs across northern India struggled to reach as high. New Delhi once again reported a lower temperature to end the week.
India has been dealing with a trifecta of hazards in recent days. In addition to the coronavirus pandemic, which prompted the government to implement the world's biggest lockdown, the heat wave has been oppressive and swarms of locusts have invaded several parts of the country, UPI reported, and are laying waste to crops. Officials estimate as many as 80 million desert locusts, fueled by warmer water in the Indian Ocean and other weather factors, are wreaking havoc throughout the nations.
Officials have reportedly said this year's locust infestation is the worst ever, and New Delhi, the capital city, has been put on alert that the locusts could soon be arriving there. Meanwhile, the scorching heat could be on its last legs in some places.
"Relief from the heat arrived late this week for some major cities in north-central India in the way of thunderstorms," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Thunderstorms first sparked in northeastern Pakistan and the regions of Jammu and Kashmir to Himachal Pradesh in India on Thursday afternoon, however, these were rather isolated in nature. AccuWeather forecasters expect storms to become more numerous before the weekend.
"Showers and thunderstorms that became more common, and more potent, on Friday will continue through the weekend from a place like New Delhi to northern portions of Madhya Pradesh," added Houk.
Thunderstorms moving into parts of northeast India and Bangladesh are also expected to become heavy at times through the weekend.
The heaviest thunderstorms are expected to produce torrential downpours that can lead to cases of flash flooding and even bring bouts of gusty winds.
Rainfall amounts across the region could total 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) by the end of the weekend, but any area hit by several of the heaviest storms can expect as much as an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 100 mm (4 inches).
"The most widespread concern will be lightning as thunderstorms spread across the region," Houk warned.
As cloud cover and thunderstorms overtake the area, cooler conditions will settle into these regions by Saturday. Instead of an air temperature of 47.8 C (118 F), New Delhi was greeted with an afternoon high of 33 C (91 F), a temperature that is just below normal for late in the month of May.
Temperatures around 32 or 33 C (about 90 F) that settled over north-central India on Saturday are expected to return to the area on Sunday.
Related:
Although the thunderstorms will bring heat relief to some locations, this will not be the case for the entire country.
In cities such as Indore, Mumbai and Surat, temperatures haven't broken 43 C (110 F) degrees like some major cities located farther north. Each of these three cities will remain dry through the end of the month, allowing for the stifling heat to persist through the weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo