Delhi Heatwave: It’s only April but North India’s already asking for rain | Delhi News

New Delhi: On Tuesday, a disgusting heatwave was swept away through large parts of western and central India, in which Bermer in Rajasthan gave a scorch of 46.4 degrees Celsius – the highest temperature of the country.
According to the Meteorological Department of India (IMD), 27 weather stations across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh reported a maximum temperature of 43 ° C or more, with at least 19 places, the heatwave is witness to the Heatwave conditions.
In Delhi, the Safdarjung Observatory recorded a state of heatwave, registered at 41 ° C and Ayanagar, which was 40.4 ° C logging.
Bermer, the worst affected, the temperature was seen above 7.6 ° C above normal. Other parts of Rajasthan also experienced extreme heat, including Jaisalmer (45 ° C), Chittorgarh (44.5 ° C), Bikaner (44.4 ° C), and Shri Ganganagar (44.2 ° C) – all include more than all 7 to 9 degrees above 7 to 9 degrees.
In Gujarat, Surendranagar recorded 44.8 ° C, Rajkot 44 ° C, Amreli 43.8 ° C, while Mahuva and Kandla touched 43.4 ° C. Mahuva saw 8.3 ° C spike above normal.
Maharashtra city such as Akola (44.1 ° C), Nandbar (43.5 ° C), Jalgaon (43.3 ° C), and Amravati (43 ° C) also resumed under intense heat. In Madhya Pradesh, Guna and Ratlam reported 43.4 ° C and 43.2 ° C respectively.
IMD’s forecast relief from Heatwave in Northwest India starting on 10 April and in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh from April 11.
A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature reaches at least 40 ° C in the grounds, 37 ° C in coastal areas, or 30 ° C in mountainous areas, is common with a deviation of 4.5 ° C to 6.4 ° C.
A severe heatwave is declared if the departure is more than 6.5 ° C. Alternatively, a temperature of 45 ° C and above qualifies as a heatwave, while 47 ° C and above indicate a serious heatwave regarding the normal deviation.
Earlier this month, IMD warned of the above temperature for April to June, expecting more heatwave in Central and Eastern India and North-Western plains.
The year 2024 is already the hottest on India and globally. This year’s heatwave situation began unusually, in which the first examples were reported on 27–28 February. The first official heatwave of the year was declared on 5 April.
Although heatwaves are specific in April and May, scientists have warned that climate change is intensifying both their frequency and severity. This puts weak population at high risk-especially with external workers and low-income houses with cooling and limited access to water.
According to the World Health Organization, over 1,66,000 people died due to heatwaves between 1998 and 2017. In India, 3,812 heatwave-related deaths between 2015 and 2022 were reported, with an accounting for 2,419 alone in Andhra Pradesh.
A 2022 study warned that India could withstand ten times the heatwave risk in this century, more than 70% of its land areas are potentially exposed to excessive heat.
Increasing temperature triggers increase in electricity demand
India’s power demand during the summit heatwave months of April -June 2024 increased by 10.4% compared to the same period last year, roughly due to spike in the use of air conditioners. According to Amber’s global power review, heatwaves were responsible for approximately one-fifth of the global growth in power demand and increased fossil fuel-based power generation by 1.4% increased-aerial power sector emissions for a record 14.6 billion tonnes, 223 million tonnes of CO2.
The report stated that without heat-powered demand, fossil fuel production would have increased by only 0.2%, as clean energy increased by 96% in non-summer demand globally.
In India, the demand for overall power between April and September 2024 was 6.1% higher than the same period in 2023, about 19% of this growth was responsible for a high temperature. During April to June alone, demand increased by 10.8% year-on-year.
Alone in air conditioning was about 30% of the demand increase from year to year. In May, cooling needs contributed more than one third of the total growth.
India’s total power demand increased by 5% in 2024. In additional demand, clean energy was 33%, while coal contributed 91% to 64% in 2023.
With the demand for both economic growth and rising temperature driving, India is expected to add 130–150 million new room air conditioners in the next decade. It can increase the demand for extreme power from more than 180 gigawatts by 2035, leading to significant tension on the national grid.
The share of domestic power consumption increased from 22% in 2012-13 to 25% in 2022-23, a trend experts connect with rising income and have increased cooling requirement.
According to the Oxford India Center for Sustainable Development, India is estimated to demand the highest population-based cooling in a world that is 2 ° C hot-China, Nigeria, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Philippines and ahead of countries such as the United States.