Page 3 - Heatwaves

Experts seek 'right to cool', heat protection for informal sector workers

Climate experts have proposed urgent measures, including paid heat leave, free water ATMs at labour hubs and legal recognition for the 'right to cool', to protect India's informal workforce during the extreme summer months. More than 80 per cent of Delhi's workers, including street vendors, construction labourers and ragpickers, face severe health risks and income loss due to extreme heat. The women among them are disproportionately affected, the experts said. Amruta, a campaigner at Greenpeace India, highlighted that heat waves were no longer just weather events but disasters for those without shelter, water or rest spaces. A Greenpeace India report last year found that 61 per cent of street vendors lost more than 40 per cent of their daily income during extreme heat while 75 per cent lacked access to cooling infrastructure near workplaces. Hisham Mundol, chief advisor at Environmental Defense Fund - India, said informal workers bore the brunt of heat waves and rising cases of ...

Heatwave persists in Delhi, relief likely after April 19; AQI drops to 191

Parts of Delhi are likely to experience heatwave conditions midweek, with daytime temperatures ranging from 39 degree Celsius to 41 degree Celsius

Delhi hit by dust storm, flights disrupted; heatwave to return next week

A powerful dust storm hit Delhi causing disruptions and a death, as IMD warned of more storms ahead of a heatwave

IMD forecasts rain for Delhi; heatwave relief expected, AQI at 241

Delhi weather update: Light rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds expected to ease Delhi's intense heat, but air quality remains in the 'poor' category with AQI at 241

North India is on the verge of an extreme heatwave, IMD issues yellow alert

In the first major heatwave of the season, IMD predicts states like Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat are expected to see temperatures above 40 degree celsius

Delhi braces for intense heat as IMD issues yellow alert, AQI turns 'poor'

A yellow alert has been issued for a heatwave on Tuesday, as residents are likely to continue facing challenging weather conditions

Heatwaves drove 1/3rd of rise in India's power demand in 2024: Report

India's electricity demand during the severe heatwave months of April to June 2024 rose by 10.4 per cent compared to the corresponding period the year before, with increased use of air conditioning contributing to nearly a third of the rise, according to a new report released on Tuesday. The sixth edition of global energy think tank Ember's Global Electricity Review also said heatwaves were responsible for almost a fifth of the increase in global electricity demand in 2024 and were the main reason behind a 1.4 per cent rise in fossil fuel-based power generation. This led to a 1.6 per cent increase in global power sector emissions, adding 223 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and pushing total emissions to a record high of 14.6 billion tonnes. Without the heat-related demand, fossil generation would have grown just 0.2 per cent, as clean energy met 96 per cent of the demand growth not caused by hotter temperatures, said the report. In India, electricity demand during April-September

IMD issues heatwave alerts as temperature set to touch 42 degrees Celsius

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for a heatwave in the capital on April 8 and 9

Uttar Pradesh braces for above normal temperatures, heatwaves this summer

A punishing summer is in store for Uttar Pradesh, with prolonged periods of above normal temperature and intense heat waves predicted from April to June this year. The state's Bundelkhand region, which covers seven districts of Jhansi and Chitrakootdham division, will bear the brunt of the heatwaves, posing significant risks to both human and animal health, weather officials said. "During these months, above-normal maximum temperatures are expected across Uttar Pradesh. The forecast indicates that daytime temperatures will consistently exceed the 40-degree Celsius mark," Atul Kumar Singh, a MeT official here, said. Adding to the concern, night time temperatures are also projected to remain unusually high. "The minimum temperatures recorded during night time are also expected to remain above normal," Singh said. The Bundelkhand region is anticipated to be the epicentre of this extreme heat, he added. The first week of April has already provided a stark preview of the impending hea

Warm days ahead for Delhi as temperature set to touch 42 degrees Celsius

From April 6 to 10, the IMD forecasts clear skies, with maximum temperatures gradually rising to 41 degrees Celsius and reaching 42 degrees Celsius by mid-week

From construction sites to factory floor, Indian firms battle heat

For industries like steel manufacturing, where extreme temperatures are part of daily operations, structured heat management protocols are crucial

Comfortable coal stocks even after monsoon, says Union coal secretary

Govt expecting 37 mt of coal stocks by Oct-end, 7 mt more than the previous year

April-June to be hotter than usual, more heatwave days likely: IMD

India is expected to experience hotter-than-usual temperatures from April to June, with more heatwave days in central and eastern India and the northwestern plains, the IMD said on Monday. Most parts of the country will see higher-than-normal maximum temperatures, except for some areas in western and eastern India where the temperatures are expected to be normal. Minimum temperatures will also be above normal in most regions, India Meteorological Department (IMD) chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said in an online press conference. "From April to June, most parts of north and east India, central India, and the plains of northwest India are expected to experience two to four more heatwave days than normal," he said. Usually, India records four to seven heatwave days from April to June. An IMD official had earlier said northwest India might face double the number of heatwave days during the summer. The region normally experiences five to six heatwave days during the season. States likely

India's heat waves drive air conditioner sales, defying consumer slowdown

Blue Star Ltd. expects as much as 30 per cent growth over the summer, with a significant increase in sales in smaller cities, Managing Director B Thiagarajan said

Centre asks states to activate heat action plans, boost preparedness

The weatherman has also warned of "double heatwave" days in northwest India this summer season

Daytime temperature nears 40 degree Celsius in Delhi as heat rises

Thursday's forecast indicated a minimum temperature of 19 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 38 degrees Celsius

Health minister urges precautions as IMD issues heatwave warning for K'taka

Ainapur Hobli village in the Kalaburagi district recorded the highest temperature in the last 24 hours at 42.8 degrees Celsius

Climate change more robust now, La Nina may lose impact soon: Report

Climate change is growing stronger and more robust, and the cooling, counter effects of La Nina may not be effective in a warmer future, climate scientists said, assessing current heat trends seen in large parts of the country. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted an early summer this year, with above normal temperatures and intense, long heatwave spells. The country experienced its warmest February since 1901, with the fifth lowest rainfall since 2001, it said. While human-caused climate change is increasingly driving a 'new normal' marked by a warmer winter and shorter spring, scientists also draw attention to the yearly changes in weather patterns, termed 'year-to-year variability'. "For example, updates from the IMD this year suggest that it was an unusually dry winter," Arpita Mondal, associate professor at the centre for climate studies at IIT Bombay, told PTI. She explained that rain is a natural cooling process helping bring temperatures down. Raghu ...

India likely underreporting heat-related deaths: WHO's ex-chief scientist

Soumya Swaminathan says fatalities just 'tip of iceberg', heat wave affecting people economically, mentally

Warmer days, fewer cold spells: Why Delhi's winter felt hotter this time

Cold waves, a defining characteristic of Delhi's winters, were almost entirely absent this season. December recorded just one cold wave day