Do you find Delhi scorching this summer? This is the reason why

The extreme heat in Delhi is part of a broader heatwave affecting large parts of northern and central India. On May 26, temperatures soared to an unprecedented 50 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan’s Phalodi, the first instance of mercury hitting the mark in this summer season. This was the highest temperature recorded in the country since June 2019, when Churu, another city in Rajasthan, hit 50.8 degrees Celsius. 

Delhi is currently experiencing an intense heatwave, with temperatures forecast to reach a staggering 46 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in the capital was recorded at 29.2 degrees Celsius, which is 2.6 degrees above the normal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted mainly clear skies with strong surface winds, compounding the severe heatwave conditions. 

The heatwave is not just confined to the northern plains but has also impacted the hills of Himachal Pradesh, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh. At least 17 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh recorded temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius or higher. 

Rajasthan has been particularly affected, with Barmer reaching 48.8 degrees Celsius, Jaisalmer 48 degrees and Bikaner 47.2 degrees. The extreme heat is expected to persist in Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra until the end of May, with severe conditions also affecting the hills of Himachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya. 

The IMD has issued a ‘red alert’ for several regions, including Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. The IMD also noted that warm night conditions will exacerbate heat stress in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan.  

High night temperatures are especially dangerous as they prevent the body from cooling down, an issue exacerbated by the urban heat island effect, where cities remain significantly hotter than their rural surroundings. 

Urban heat island effects

The severe heatwave conditions in Delhi and surrounding regions are a result of a combination of urban heat island effects and broader climatic patterns affecting northern and central India.  

Akash Vashishtha, founder-secretary of the Society for Protection of Environment and Biodiversity, told PTI that urban areas like Delhi-NCR become heat chambers due to land and surface concretisation, leading to a heat multiplier effect. The urban heat island effect traps heat in the lower atmosphere, significantly raising ambient temperatures. Vashishtha said there is a need to keep ground surfaces vegetated to absorb solar radiation and reduce heat reflection. 

The intense heat in India is also straining power grids and depleting water bodies, triggering drought-like conditions in various regions. The Central Water Commission reported that water storage in 150 major reservoirs reached a five-year low last week, worsening water shortages and affecting hydropower generation. In Delhi, water levels in the Yamuna river have dropped, impacting water supply. The national capital’s power demand hit a record 8,000 megawatts as air conditioners and coolers ran at full capacity. 

The heatwave is placing a significant burden on low-income households, which often have limited access to water and cooling facilities.  

Economic impact

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that over 166,000 people died from heatwaves between 1998 and 2017, with India alone reporting 3,812 deaths due to heatwaves between 2015 and 2022. 

Heatwaves also reduce productivity and affect learning outcomes for children. Studies show that students perform worse during hot school years, and with 15% of government schools lacking functional electricity, rural education is disproportionately affected. Additionally, the absence of adequate cold-chain infrastructure causes significant damage to fresh produce, leading to food losses worth $13 billion annually in India. 

According to a World Bank report, India could account for 34 million of the projected 80 million global job losses from heat stress-associated productivity decline by 2030.