Delhi And Northern India Bracing For Extreme Heat As Temperatures Hit 40C Weeks Early

[hatrack]

India's weather department has warned of high temperatures in parts of northern India, including capital Delhi, for this week. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has said northern and central states - including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat - can expect maximum temperatures to cross 40C.

It has issued a yellow alert which means that the heat is tolerable for the general public but can cause moderate health concerns for infants, the elderly and people with chronic diseases. Northern India usually sees heatwaves between April and June, but in recent years, global warming and climate change have caused extreme temperatures to arrive earlier and last longer.

According to the IMD forecast, the highest temperature in Delhi is expected to hit 41C on Monday afternoon. The average temperature for the city last year was 37C.

EDIT

Heatwaves usually start occurring in northern India from the end of April, but we are seeing that their occurrence has recently been exacerbated by climate change, says Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology and climate change at weather forecasting company Skymet. "We go straight from winter to summer; the spring season in northern India is shrinking," he said. "In the coming days, we will see wind speeds slowing down with clear skies. This naturally leads to a rise in temperature," Mr Palawat added.

EDIT

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyn741gg73o

[marble falls]

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