An unprecedented heatwave has swept across the northeastern states of India, including Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh, with temperatures soaring to an unusual 40 degrees Celsius. Such extreme heat is not typical for this time of year in the region, causing widespread distress among residents.
According to Down To Earth, this rising heat is attributed to the “heat dome effect,” a high-pressure system also known as an anticyclone. This system forms over a large area in the atmosphere, trapping heat and leading to extremely hot and dry weather conditions. Mobile applications have recorded heat index values, or “feels like” temperatures, reaching a staggering 50 degrees Celsius.
The oppressive heat has resulted in serious health complications, with reports confirming seven deaths across the region. Many residents are struggling to cope as hospitals report an increase in heat-related illnesses.
“Usually, air circulation over the northeastern region keeps the region cool,” Rahul Mahanta, Associate Professor of Climate Science at Cotton University in Guwahati told DTE. “This circulation emerging from the Bay of Bengal hits the region with low-velocity winds that provide much-needed moisture, causing short spells of showers throughout the month of September.”
However, the weakening of this monsoon circulation, combined with poor soil moisture, heavy deforestation, and expanding industrial activity, has exacerbated the heat dome effect. Experts also suggest that global factors, such as the weakening Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean and changes in the jet stream, are contributing to the unusual weather pattern.
Sanjay O’Neill Shaw, a senior official at the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in Guwahati, echoed these concerns, stating, “This heatwave may be happening due to the weakening monsoonal circulation. This week, however, we will see short spells of rain across the region.”