Early June to offer no heat relief as northern India, Pakistan record highs soar past 50 C (122 F)
With a delayed start to the seasonal monsoon, intense heat will maintain a firm grip on northern India, as well as neighboring Pakistan through the coming weeks.
While the heat has come in pulses so far this year, the current heat wave is forecast to last well into June.
Widespread high temperatures of 42-47 C (108-116 F) will persist across northern India and Pakistan through at least the coming week. Temperatures can approach or reach 50 C (122 F) in the hottest locations.
Locations that will endure daily dangerous heat include Hyderabad, Nagpur, Patna, Indore, Lucknow and New Delhi.
Thursday and Friday were the hottest days so far this year in the National Capital Region (NCR). Temperatures soared to 46.8 C (116 F) on Thursday at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport and 44.8 C (113 F) in the Safdarjung area on Friday.
He heat waned slightly in the NCR over the weekend with a high near 44 C (111 F) each day.
Farther west, the temperature rose to a blistering high of 51.1 C (124 F) in Jacobabad, Pakistan over the weekend. Churu, India hit 50.8 C (123 F) on Sunday.
Actual temperatures will not be as extreme in Karachi with daily high temperatures of 36-39 C (97-102 F) expected on most days this week. Sweltering humidity, however, will create dangerously higher AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures.
Unfortunately, this heat is not expected to break anytime soon as dry weather prevails and monsoon rainfall is still far away for northern India and Pakistan.
AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting a near-normal monsoon for the country as a whole; however, northwestern India and Pakistan is forecast to endure a drier-than-normal season with rainfall delayed a week or more.
Monsoon rainfall typically spreads over northwestern India, including the National Capital Region (NCR), during mid- to late June.
Residents are reminded to take the necessary precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses as the hot weather may hold firm through the entire month of June.
An Indian woman carrying a child uses a part of her sari to shield themselves from sun on a hot summer day in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The city has been experiencing extreme heat conditions with temperature recorded at 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Wear light clothing, drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous activities during the midday and afternoon hours, which are the hottest times of the day. Worsening air quality can add to health concerns.
Warm nights will make this heat wave even more dangerous, as homes and businesses without air conditioning will be unable to adequately cool before temperatures rapidly climb during the morning and midday hours.
The elderly and children are more prone to heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion during long-duration heat waves such as this.
India endures lengthy heat waves each year prior to the arrival of monsoon rainfall. More than 6,000 heat-related deaths have been reported in India since 2010, according to the Times of India.
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