Summer Heat

Why Europe's cities are struggling to cope with 40-degree heatwaves

As thousands die during European heatwaves despite advanced healthcare, doctors say buildings, urban planning, ageing populations and inadequate preparedness are turning heat into a silent killer

Unseasonal weather, inflation cools AC sales, ice cream, beverages gain

Demand for summer-centric products remained uneven during the June quarter, as weather-related disruptions and higher prices weighed on the air-conditioner market, while categories linked to refreshment, hydration and impulse consumption continued to benefit from seasonal demand. According to industry experts, air-conditioner sales slowed in June amid unseasonal weather and inflationary pressures, while beverages, ice cream and dairy products continued to register healthy growth, driven by immediate consumption and affordability. Godrej Enterprises Group Business Head and EVP (Appliances Business) Kamal Nandi said demand across cooling categories has been mixed. "Refrigerator is doing very well, and demand is high both for mass and premium segments. Washing machine demand is also picking up as we are entering the monsoon season," Nandi told PTI. However, Nandi said the air-conditioner industry has seen a significant decline in demand. "June across the country, including north India,

10-minute deliveries in 45-degree heat: India's gig workers hit a heatwave

With temperatures crossing 45°C in several cities, India's fast-delivery economy is facing growing questions over worker safety, platform accountability and consumer expectations

Wet-bulb heat explained: Why humidity makes extreme summer heat deadlier

Wet-bulb heat reflects how difficult it becomes for the body to cool itself during humid weather, making prolonged summer exposure increasingly risky

Heat and mental health: Can rising temperatures trigger stress, aggression?

From sleep disruption to rising irritability, doctors say heat stress may quietly affect emotional health and worsen existing mental health conditions

How rising night-time heat is putting the body under constant stress

Even after sunset, the body may remain under heat stress as rising night-time temperatures disrupt sleep, recovery and the body's natural cooling process

Urban homes stay hot at night as heatwave crisis looms, new study warns

Researchers said surveyed homes showed little cooling after sunset, with nighttime indoor temperatures continuing to remain between 32°C and 35.5°C

Chasing the cool: Second-tier destinations are the new summer getaways

As rising temperatures reshape travel choices, Indians are swapping crowded hill stations for quieter, cooler and experience-led escapes

Can hot weather trigger migraines? Experts explain the hidden link

High temperatures can disrupt your body in ways that trigger migraines. Here's what doctors say about the link and how to manage symptoms effectively

Weather today: Heatwave alert in Delhi; rain, storms forecast across India

Partly cloudy skies and gusty winds expected in the Capital; heavy rain, lightning and thunderstorms forecast across parts of India over the next few days, with mixed temperature trends

India defers power plant maintenance to add capacity for summer peak

India will defer maintenance shutdowns at thermal power plants and operationalise additional capacity to ensure around 10,000 MW of extra supply during peak summer demand, the Ministry of Power said on Friday, as it moved to strengthen short-term electricity availability amid global uncertainty. Power plants have to annual take a shutdown for maintenance and repair of wear-and-tear in the machinery but this has been posted to make available electricity to meet peak demand, said Piyush Singh, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Power, at a media briefing. This will help augment 10,000 megawatt (MW) of generation, which will more than compensate for the 8,000 MW of generating capacity lost because of disruption in liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies due to the war in West Asia, he said. Also, imported coal-based plants are being fully operationalised and adequate coal stocks are being maintained at thermal stations to address near-term supply pressures. India's electricity syste

Rasna eyes up to 20% growth as early summer boosts beverage demand

Rasna expects 15-20 per cent revenue growth this year as early summer boosts demand, with new launches and digital-first marketing aiding sales momentum

Optimist raises $12 million to build air conditioners for India's climate

Accel and Arkam Ventures back the startup, founded by Urban Ladder's Ashish Goel, as it develops energy-efficient cooling systems tailored to India's power and climate constraints

World's major cities see 26% increase in extreme hot days: Study

The world's major cities are now experiencing a quarter more very hot days every year on average than they did three decades ago, according to a new analysis published on Tuesday. Researchers at the UK-based International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) examined temperature data from 43 key cities, including the 40 most populous capitals, dating back to 1994. They found that the number of days above 35 degrees Celsius (very hot days) in these cities rose by 26 per cent over the 31-year period, climbing from an average of 1,062 annually between 1994 and 2003 to 1,335 between 2015 and 2024. Delhi, one of the cities where the population has grown by at least half since 2013, is among those facing worsening heat stress. The analysis warns that residents of informal settlements in cities such as Delhi are particularly vulnerable to sustained high temperatures because of poor housing and infrastructure. The study shows 2024 recorded the highest number of very hot days,

Pets can also get sunburned. How you can protect them during summers

Pets with light-coloured hair, pale, pink skin or those with fine or thin coats such as the sphynx cat or the xoloitzcuintle dog that lack natural protection are more prone to sunburns

How India's hottest region survives extreme summer heat each year

It's 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), and it's only 10 a.m. Welcome to Sri Ganganagar

Asia warming at nearly twice global rate, fuelling extreme weather: WMO

The report highlights that in 2024, heatwaves gripped a record area of the ocean, with sea surface temperatures hitting all-time highs

May 2025 was world's second-hottest on record, says EU climate agency

Global surface temperatures last month averaged 1.4 degrees Celsius higher than in the 1850-1900 pre-industrial period, when humans began burning fossil fuels, C3S said

Covid surge, summer migration may hit project timelines in short term

Developers taking to technology, re-skilling of labour force to address labour shortage issues

Rising temperatures may be driving cancer risk in women, warns study

Women living in hotter regions face higher rates of breast, ovarian, cervical and uterine cancers, with heat-linked deaths also on the rise, study shows