India: Heatwave Pushes Temperatures Past 45 Degrees In Several Locations | WION

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]The summer season in India is getting defined by an extreme heat wave spell.

[00:00:05]The temperatures have soared close to 50° C in various parts of north and central India. Well, this despite the onset of southwest monsoon close to the south coast.

[00:00:15]Several parts of north and central India remain in the grip of an intense heat wave.

[00:00:20]The weather department has issued orange alerts for Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and warnings of heat wave to severe heat wave conditions for the next 5 days.

[00:00:31]Red alerts have been sounded for warm night conditions in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Vidarbha in Maharashtra.

[00:00:38]Schools have been shut in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and West Bengal.

[00:00:44]In Delhi, temperatures hovered between 44 and 45° C. The Indian capital recorded its first official heat wave day of the month on Tuesday.

[00:00:53]Dry winds and blistering sunshine pushed temperatures beyond 45°.

[00:00:58]The IMD says Delhi could see temperatures touching around 46° in the coming days.

[00:01:04]The intense heat wave has worsened pollution levels. The air quality index slipped into poor category across Delhi NCR.

[00:01:11]Delhi's peak power demand has touched 8,039 MW on Wednesday, the highest recorded so far in 2026.

[00:01:20]India has continued to dominate the global heat chart in a striking way. All of the world's top 100 hottest cities are still located in India.

[00:01:28]In Uttar Pradesh, Banda remains the hottest place in the country for the third straight day touching 48.2° C just below its all-time May record of 49° set in the year 2022.

[00:01:42]The vulnerability of the Banda district reflects a climate crisis due to years of localized ecological destruction that stripped away the natural systems that once moderated its climate.

[00:01:53]The key reasons for surge in temperatures are mining and blasting, dust and debris clouds, river degradation, groundwater.

[00:02:10]Pardon me, degradation, groundwater collapse, and deforestation.

[00:02:15]Meteorologists said part of the current heat wave is linked to normal seasonal patterns, but global climate factors have intensified and the intensity and the spread of current heat wave Well, this is especially due to possible development of El Nino conditions in Pacific Ocean. El Nino is a climate phenomena caused by warming sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean.

[00:02:36]It disrupts atmospheric circulation patterns globally.

[00:02:40]El Nino is often linked with weak monsoons, drought-like conditions. And amid the worsening heat wave conditions, the IMD has urged people to follow heat safety measures and minimize exposure during peak afternoon hours.