The highest ever temperature recorded anywhere on Earth, 56.7 degree Celsius in a place called Death Valley in the desert of California, United States, was recorded more than 100 years ago, in 1913.
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| A boy cools off in the Yamuna river in New Delhi on Wednesday, the Capital’s hottest day in 80 years |
Unprecedented Heatwaves: A Global and Local Perspective
The extremely high temperatures recorded in New Delhi over the past two days are extraordinary, aligning with a global trend of record-breaking temperatures in recent years.
For instance, the United Kingdom surpassed 40 degrees Celsius for the first time in July 2022. In China, a small town in the northwest recorded 52 degrees Celsius last year, the highest ever for the country. Sicily in Italy reached 48.8 degrees Celsius in 2021, marking the highest temperature ever recorded in Europe. These are just a few examples of the increasing frequency of extreme heat events worldwide.
Global Temperature Trends
An analysis by Carbon Brief, a UK-based publication focused on climate change, revealed that nearly 40% of the Earth recorded its highest-ever daily temperature between 2013 and 2023, including locations in Antarctica. India's highest temperature, 51 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Phalodi, Rajasthan, during this period.
However, the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth, 56.7 degrees Celsius, occurred in Death Valley, California, over 100 years ago in 1913.
Delhi Anomaly
If the 52.9 degrees Celsius recorded at a station in Delhi on Wednesday is verified, it would be an all-time high for India. However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is verifying the reading from an automatic weather station in Mungeshpur, on the northern outskirts of Delhi. The suspicion arises because none of the other 20 stations in Delhi recorded temperatures close to 52.9 degrees Celsius. The highest reading from other stations was 49.1 degrees Celsius at Najafgarh, while the Safdarjung station, representative of Delhi, recorded 46.8 degrees Celsius, an 80-year high.
Extreme temperature records undergo rigorous verification. The UK Met Office took a few days to confirm their 2022 record, and the Sicilian record for Europe was only confirmed three years after it was recorded.
Heatwave Impact
Regardless of record validation, Delhi and much of northern India are experiencing one of the worst heatwaves. Maximum temperatures are 5 to 10 degrees Celsius above normal. For four consecutive days, the Safdarjung station recorded temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. The prolonged and severe heatwave conditions are a significant concern for the population.
“It is very concerning that annual trends in heatwaves now show temperature departures of 5-9 degrees Celsius from normal summer weather… Heatwaves are clearly the single largest threat to India’s well-being today,” said Aarti Khosla, director of Climate Trends, a climate organization. "Temperatures in Delhi and neighboring NCR states in the last two days are proof that the issue is now about survivability," she added.
Global Warming Context
The year 2024 was predicted to be extremely warm. Last year was the warmest on record globally, and this trend continues. April 2024 marked the 11th consecutive month with a new record global average temperature for that month, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The period from May 2023 to April 2024 was warmer than any previous 12-month period, about 1.61 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial average (1850-1900).
India's warming is less pronounced compared to the global average, with annual mean temperatures rising by about 0.7 degrees Celsius since 1900. This is lower than the 1.59 degrees Celsius rise for average land temperatures worldwide. Including oceans, current global temperatures are at least 1.1 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial averages.
However, heatwaves in India are becoming more severe. In 2023, heatwave conditions occurred even in February, a winter month typically not associated with such extreme heat.
Future Outlook
The current high temperatures in Delhi and most of northern India seem anomalous because they are compared to the 1981-2010 average. Moving forward, temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius are likely to become the new normal, with 50 degrees Celsius readings no longer appearing unusual.
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