Delhi temperature hits 49.9C as India's capital records hottest day

[sl8]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/29/delhi-temperature-hits-499c-as-indias-capital-records-hottest-day

Delhi temperature hits 49.9C as India’s capital records hottest day

Authorities warn of water shortages as temperatures reach nine degrees higher than expected

Amrit Dhillon in Delhi and Agence France-Presse
Wed 29 May 2024 01.54 EDT

Temperatures in Delhi have hit a record-high of 49.9C (121.8F), as authorities warned of water shortages in India’s capital.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), which reported “severe heatwave conditions”, recorded the temperatures on Tuesday at two Delhi suburbs stations at Narela and Mungeshpur. The weather bureau said the temperatures were nine degrees higher than expected.

[...]

“To address the problem of water scarcity, we have taken a slew of measures such as reducing water supply from twice a day to once a day in many areas,” Atishi said, the Indian Express reported.

“The water thus saved will be rationed and supplied to the water-deficient areas where supply lasts only 15 to 20 minutes a day,” she added.

[...]

[Old Crank]

1. That is deadly territory

especially if humidity is high. From Science.org...

At wet bulb temperatures above 35°C, researchers estimate that even fit people will overheat and potentially die within 6 hours. Although that temperature might seem low, it equates to almost 45°C at 50% humidity, and what it would feel like 71°C using the U.S. National Weather Service heat index.

[Think. Again.]

2. Just the beginning.

[czarjak]

3. That's hoax hot.

[StClone]

7. Science's Heat Hoax! I hate it!! What next poser "baking corpses" in the streets pretending?

[progressoid]

4. Nothing to see here folks.

[robbob]

5. If you don't know Celsius, I'll tell you it's worse then it looks:

40 degrees Celsius is 104 F, but going up 9 degrees to 49 brings it up to 120 F. Plus the humidity? I think soon we are going to start seeing massive death tolls from extreme heat events.

[druidity33]

6. Read any Kim Stanley Robinson?

One of his books starts with a wet bulb event that was devastating to read. He has a lot of books... i've forgotten which one.

[robbob]

11. Someone here posted a link to the opening chapter, I believe...

It opens with an aid worker in India (I think) trying to survive a devastating heat wave and ends with him crawling out of the tepid pond in the middle of the town the morning after to a city centre full of corpses.

Devastating, and all too plausible the way the world is going. I also forget the name of the book, but I’d like to read it.

[druidity33]

12. It's called...

The Ministry For the Future. It was good. His other novels are good too, but his most recent stuff is relevant to the times moreso than the Mars trilogy.

[NoMoreRepugs]

8. What is the THI? 130 or so? - that's mind boggling.

[AllaN01Bear]

9. eek. death valley ca weather.

[Seinan Sensei]

10. For the rest of our life ...

“The only mild summer was last summer “