Record Temperatures Hit India Every Month Since April 2024
Since April 2024, India has seen record-breaking temperatures every month, except for March, as stated by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This trend highlights how the climate crisis is affecting weather patterns across the country.
April 2024 marked a troubling milestone, with south peninsular India experiencing the second-highest mean temperatures, while east and northeast India recorded their highest since records began in 1901.
May continued this worrying trend, with the east, northeast, and northwest regions reporting their third-highest mean and maximum temperatures. In June, northwest India recorded its hottest maximum temperature ever, and the east and northeast regions saw their highest minimum temperatures.
July was no different, with a nationwide measurement showing the second-highest mean temperature, and east and northeast India recording the highest maximum temperatures of the month. Northwest India also faced its second-highest minimum temperature during this period.
As the months went by, August, September, and October all recorded the highest minimum temperatures across the country, while November saw northwest India hit its peak maximum temperature. December was not spared either, with south peninsular India reporting its hottest maximum temperature for that month.
Looking ahead to January 2025, India faced its third-highest maximum temperature overall. February delivered even worse conditions, recording the highest maximum temperature for the nation. Though March brought a much-needed cooling period, the notorious Indian summer is around the corner, which may intensify these previous records.
The impact of this heat wave is significant for India, where a substantial portion of agricultural land relies on irrigation. Additionally, many people work outside, making them vulnerable to extreme heat. The unseasonable temperatures disrupt farming cycles and could spark inflation in an economy that is still finding its footing.
India’s rising temperatures fit into a larger global pattern. February was noted as the 19th month in the last 20 where global average temperatures soared above the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels. This rise in temperatures is partly attributed to an El Niño pattern that occurred from May 2023 to May 2024.
Even as the La Niña phase—typically known for cooler temperatures—emerged in December, India still faced record heat during December, January, and February. OP Sreejith, who leads climate monitoring at IMD, mentioned that while warming in India is accelerating, it is currently slower than global trends.
Experts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have also noted an increase in the rate of warming between late 2023 and 2024. However, there are ongoing discussions about how to effectively measure temperature increases in relation to the goals set by the Paris Agreement.
The WMO has predicted that temperatures are likely to remain high as the cooling effects of La Niña diminish. Reports indicate that La Niña is weakening, and neutral climate conditions are expected to develop in April, lasting through the Northern Hemisphere summer.
In summary, while climatic phenomena like La Niña and El Niño play significant roles in weather patterns, they unfold within the larger scope of human-induced climate change, intensifying global temperatures and extreme weather events.
