Heatwave conditions likely during election seasons, warns IMD
- April 2, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Heatwave conditions likely during election seasons, warns IMD
Subject: Geography
Section: Climatology
Context:
- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts a harsh and dry summer across most regions of India for April-June, with prolonged heatwave episodes lasting 10 to 20 days.
What are Heat Waves?
- A heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, more than the normal maximum temperature that occurs during the summer season in the North-Western and South Central parts of India.
- It is a condition of air temperature which becomes fatal to the human body when exposed.
- The IMD declares a heatwave when the maximum temperature crosses a certain threshold — 40°C in the plains, 37°C along the coast, and 30°C in hilly regions.
- Alternatively, a heatwave is declared if the maximum temperature rises by between 5°C and 6.4°C above normal.
- A severe heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature rises more than 6.4°C above normal.
- A third condition for a heatwave arises when an area records a maximum temperature of more than 45°C and up to 47°C on any given day.
Cause of heatwave:
- The ongoing El Niño conditions, characterized by the abnormal warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean’s surface, have been contributing to global temperature increases and are expected to suppress rainfall and elevate temperatures in India.
- Global climate models predict that El Niño conditions will transition to ENSO-neutral conditions by June, coinciding with the onset of India’s southwest monsoon.
Regions that will be affected by heatwaves:
- April’s temperatures are expected to be significantly high in regions including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
- Pre-monsoon rainfall is anticipated to be below average, continuing the dry trend since February, particularly over coastal and southern peninsular India.
- The summer season is set to see above-normal maximum temperatures in most parts of the country, with normal or below-normal temperatures expected in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, northern Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, and eastern India.
- Regions like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, north Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha are forecasted to experience extremely high temperatures and heat waves.
What is the Impact of these Heat Waves?
- Crop Damage:
- The concurrence of heat and drought events is causing crop production losses and tree mortality.
- India has already suffered the hottest March in 122 years of weather data, and parts of the country are seeing wheat yields drop 10-15 per cent partly due to the unseasonal heat.
- Less Food Production and High Prices:
- The risks to health and food production will be made more severe by the sudden food production losses exacerbated by heat-induced labour productivity losses.
- These interacting impacts will increase food prices, reduce household incomes, and lead to malnutrition and climate-related deaths, especially in tropical regions.
- Mortality and Morbidity:
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the Second Part of the AR6 Report flagged that heat extremes are causing human deaths and morbidity.
- The increased heat will lead to an increase in diseases like diabetes, circulatory and respiratory conditions, as well as mental health challenges.
- Labour Productivity Loss:
- A higher urban population also implies heat-induced labour productivity loss, resulting in economic impacts.
- Wildfires and Droughts:
- The Lancet report showed that populations of 134 countries experienced an increase in exposure to wildfires with droughts becoming more widespread than ever before.
Source: TH