Increase in Frequency of Severe Heat Waves from 2010 to 2016

Ministry of Earth Science11-August, 2016 16:26 IST

Increase in Frequency of Severe Heat Waves from 2010 to 2016

Many areas of the country viz., north, northwest, central and northeast Peninsula have experienced 8 or more Heat Wave (HW) days on an average per season. Compared to previous four decades, there was noticeable increase in the Severe Heat Wave (SHW) days over the country during the past fifteen years. The past decade is the warmest decade for the country as well as for the globe.

           

The decadal variation of the all India SHW days for the five decades during the period 1961-2010 is shown in the table below:

Decade	All India Severe Heat Wave days/year
1961-70	74
1971-80	34
1981-90	45
1991-00	48
2001-10	98

This was stated by the Minister of State for the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Y.S. Chowdary, in a written reply to a Question in Rajya Sabha today.

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VM

(Release ID :148732)