The Indian continent has just had a few days of respite after weeks of heatwaves. But temperatures will rise again next week, hitting another 50°C.

India and Pakistan are experiencing excessive hot spring since March. April was the hottest since records began in India, although no record all-time heat has been recorded. This intense heat is mainly characterized by extremely high temperatures, exceeding the 40 °C limit in New Delhi during April and peaking at 42 °C. Pakistan, even hotter, is approaching the 50 °C mark. Such temperatures are common in these countries before the onset of the monsoon rains, but occur mainly in May and last longer.

After this week’s lull, when severe thunderstorms drop temperatures between 35° and 39°C (approximately average), heat will pick up again next week, possibly approaching 50°C in northern India and Pakistan.

Another week of heat before the monsoon rains

Last week was not so difficult for India and Pakistan, following the severe thunderstorms that broke out last Monday. Temperatures have returned to their usual levels, between 35° and 39°C in the north of the country, and are even lower than usual along the Bay of Bengal, east of India.

But next week promises to be hot again. Heatwaves can peak for a season, with values ​​between 43° and 45°C in New Delhi, and maybe 50 °C on the Pakistani border. Moreover, the month of May is statistically, the hottest month of the year in these countries, before the onset of the rainy season. South India is not affected by such temperatures, where the temperature is between 32° and 34°C Mumbai. But it was very humid heat while the minimum night temperature didn’t drop below 28°C.

The period of this new heatwave may last until mid-May, before the slight attenuation associated with uplift of westerly flows at the edge of the basin in the Bay of Bengal. Until then, daily temperatures are expected to be between 40° and 45°C in northern and central India, and between 45° and 50°C in Pakistan. These are temperatures 3° to 5 °C above average, which is very difficult to bear in these countries where the averages are already very high.

The arrival of monsoon rains is expected from mid-May in southern India but will not reach the northern part of the continent before early June, which is in a normal climate. The arrival of monsoon rains will be able to reduce these very high temperatures.