India and Pakistan have been experiencing extreme and dangerous heat over recent days. High temperatures are not uncommon at this time of year in India, with April and May typically being the hottest months before the monsoon season brings welcome rain and slightly cooler temperatures from June.
However, the high temperatures so far have been unusually widespread and follow a very warm March. The average maximum temperature for March across India was the highest since records began 122 years ago. Although one particular weather event cannot be directly attributed to climate change, climate scientists are clear that the severity and duration of heatwaves are expected to increase in the future.
On Wednesday, 45.6C was recorded at Rajgarh, India. On the same day, temperatures topped 47.5C in Nawabshah, Pakistan. On Thursday, the highest temperature in Pakistan was 47.5C at Dadu, with 45.8C recorded in the north-eastern Indian city of Medininagar. These extreme temperatures are close to record levels for April in India, with 48.3C the highest reliable April temperature ever recorded, back in 1958.
It is feared many people will succumb to the exceptional heat, with India’s poorest and eldest communities, who have limited access to air conditioning, expected to be worst affected. There are also concerns for the impact on local and global food supplies.
India is a big supplier of wheat globally and the largest wheat-producing states in northern and central parts of the country have been hit particularly hard, with crop harvests down on normal. Temperatures are forecast to remain above normal this weekend and next week, with temperatures in New Delhi remaining above 40C.
Meanwhile, at the start of the week parts of Australia experienced extreme rainfall. Moisture-laden air from a tropical low-pressure system combined with an upper-level trough to produce heavy rainfall. Severe weather warnings were issued for parts of Queensland, South Australia and western parts of New South Wales. Toolakea in Queensland recorded 352mm of rain on Monday, with more than 100mm falling in the town of Longreach. Stoney Creek in the south-east of the state recorded 298mm in just 12 hours.
