Jan 2, 2025, 6:47 PM
Jan 1, 2025, 11:32 PM

Record high temperatures spark alarm across India

Tragic
Highlights
  • 2024 recorded the highest average temperatures in India since 1901, with significant increases in minimum temperatures.
  • The rising temperatures have led to extreme weather events, including devastating floods affecting local communities.
  • These trends are alarmingly linked to global climate change, necessitating immediate actions for climate adaptation and policy reforms.
Story

In India, the year 2024 set a new record for warmth, marking it as the hottest year since 1901. The average annual mean temperature reached 25.75 degrees Celsius, which is 0.65 degrees above the long-term average. This significant increase in temperature was underscored by the average minimum temperature, which stood at 20.24 degrees Celsius, marking a rise of 0.90 degrees from the normal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra highlighted that this year surpassed 2016, the previous record holder, which had an average temperature 0.54 degrees above normal. This alarming trend reflects an ongoing shift in climate patterns, which is anticipated to continue as experts forecast colder conditions from the La Nina phenomenon, but the impact on overall warming trends will be minimal. Furthermore, global data corroborated these changes, showing that 2024 ended as potentially the warmest year globally, with average temperatures 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, illustrating the broader implications of climate change worldwide. The increased minimum temperatures have been particularly prevalent in India during post-monsoon and winter seasons, leading to concerns over agricultural productivity and the health impacts on the population. As climate conditions deteriorate, many communities, like that of Sukanya Ashin, confront frequent disasters such as floods, which are influenced by extreme weather events exacerbated by the changing climate, illustrating the urgent need for adaptive measures and robust climate policies.

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