India must wait until summer monsoon for lasting heat relief

By Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

By Eric Leister, AccuWeather meteorologist

April 25,2017, 2:39:10PM,EDT

 

 

While the peak of the extreme heat has passed New Delhi, no lasting heat relief will come to India until the monsoon arrives in June or early July.
Highs into this weekend will average 38-41 C (101-105 F) in the National Capital Region.
While not as extreme as the 43-45 C (109-113 F) heat that made for New Delhi’s hottest April day since 2010 last Thursday, the heat will still be dangerous for millions of residents and animals.
The nighttime hours will offer little relief with temperatures set to dip to 23-27 C (74-80 F).

A young Indian girl covers her face to protect from the heat as she walks on the dried bed of the River Tawi on a hot summer day in Jammu, India, Thursday, April 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

The hottest parts of the country will lie from eastern Madhya Pradesh to Odisha (away from the coast) and Jharkhand, where temperatures will approach or exceed 43 F (110 F).
Actual temperatures will continue to fall well short of 38 C (101 F) in Mumbai. However, residents should still use caution. When humidity is factored in, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will soar to around 41 C (106 F) daily.
The good news is that some residents will welcome showers, thunderstorms and clouds briefly cutting into the heat to close out April.
RELATED:
Detailed New Delhi forecast
Heat exhaustion vs. heatstroke: What are the warning signs and how should you react?
2 years later: Thousands of Nepal earthquake victims remain homeless, vulnerable to flooding
Spotty showers and thunderstorms are likely to develop each afternoon from West Bengal and eastern Odisha to Kerala and southern Karnataka through at least this weekend.
A shower or thunderstorm will also spread across northern India, including the National Capital Region, on one or two occasions in the final days of April.
These thunderstorms will also be isolated in nature, bringing welcome rain to some communities but missing others.

Any thunderstorm and residual clouds would knock down the heat only temporarily, allowing temperatures to spike again the following day. Temperatures could even climb again later in the day if the thunderstorm occurs early enough in the afternoon.
Looking ahead to the start of May, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls does not see more significant relief for India.
“Heat will actually build some next week but probably just shy of the levels experienced last week,” he said.
No lasting relief from the heat is expected until the monsoon arrives, which means dangerous heat will be a concern into June.
The monsoon typically spreads from southeast to northwest across the country during the month of June, and no significant change from normal timing is expected this year.
"The arrival of the monsoon will be in early June across southern India but is not expected to reach the National Capital Region until late June or early July," said Nicholls.
"A near- to slightly below-normal monsoon this year overall [is expected], with the greatest deficits across southeastern and northwestern India," he said.
As a result, locations will continue to deal with brutal heat for another two months or longer, creating a very dangerous situation.
The elderly and children are most susceptible to heat-related illness, especially when nighttime temperatures remain well above normal levels, not allowing homes to cool from the extreme daytime heat.
Staying hydrated and avoiding extended exposure to the sun and heat during the daytime are crucial, especially during the hottest parts of the day.