Ahmedabad: The year 2024 is considered one of the hottest years on record for both the world and India. Recent reports indicated that the average temperature of 25.75 degrees celsius in India was the hottest since 1901 when the data for temperatures started being recorded. Earlier, 2016 was the warmest year on record.
For Ahmedabad, 2024 made two records. In May, the mercury touched 45.9 degrees celsius, making it one of the hottest days on record for the city in the month of May. Likewise, in April, the night temperature of 29 degrees was another record for high minimum temperature in the city.
Analysis of the data for the past six months — from July to Dec, post-summer months — indicated an interesting trend where the maximum temperatures remained at par or below normal, whereas minimum temperatures remained consistently high. In fact, for Oct, the average minimum temperature was 2.4 degrees higher than normal, followed by 1.8 degrees in Nov. Even for Dec and early Jan, the trend of relatively warmer winter continued, the data indicates.
Experts said that the heat action plan (HAP) includes not only maximum temperature but also minimum temperature. If the minimum temperature goes above 30 degrees, it also poses the same health risks, they added.
The phenomenon of high minimum temperature is often associated with the heat island effect in urban areas where the heat is trapped in buildings and is released during the night hours. “Due to factors ranging from pollution to a condensed built environment, the process takes much longer, and thus even before the buildings cool down completely, the new cycle of heat starts. Thus, one might feel the need for air-conditioning even when the ambient temperature is relatively low to get comfort,” said a public health expert.