The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert on April 29, 2024, warning of a split weather pattern across the country [1].
This divergence in weather patterns creates simultaneous risks for the population, forcing the government to manage extreme heat deaths in some regions while addressing flood and storm damage in others.
Northern and central India are currently enduring an intense heatwave. The IMD said the heatwave is specifically affecting regions including Delhi, Gujarat, and Rajasthan [1]. In some areas, temperatures have reached critical levels, with Banda recording a temperature of 47.6 °C [1].
While the north and center face extreme heat, southern and eastern India are experiencing a different set of hazards. These regions are being hit by heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and hailstorms [2]. The IMD said this split is the result of pre-monsoon atmospheric conditions, a phenomenon creating a sharp temperature gradient across the subcontinent [1].
Local authorities in the affected northern states have been urged to implement heat-mitigation strategies as the orange alert remains in effect [1]. Meanwhile, the eastern and southern states are monitoring potential flooding and infrastructure damage caused by the severe storms [2].
The IMD continues to monitor these atmospheric shifts to provide state-wise updates as the pre-monsoon season progresses [1].
“Banda recorded a temperature of 47.6 °C”
The simultaneous occurrence of extreme heat and severe storms indicates a highly volatile pre-monsoon transition. This weather split puts immense pressure on national disaster response teams, who must deploy heat-stroke prevention measures in the north and flood-relief protocols in the south and east at the same time.
