India Heat Wave 2016

The analysis found that while human-induced climate change slightly increased the probability of the 2016 record-breaking heat in Rajasthan, the effect was not statistically significant. The study suggests that the warming effect of greenhouse gases in India is being partially offset by the cooling effects of aerosols and increased irrigation. Despite the lack of a strong temperature trend, the combination of high heat, pollution, and humidity is increasing the health risks and mortality associated with heat waves.

• On May 19, 2016, the city of Phalodi in Rajasthan recorded a temperature of 51°C, establishing an all-time record for any calendar day in India.
• Analysis of the May 19, 2016 event in Rajasthan and a similar 2015 event in Andhra Pradesh showed no statistically significant trend in the risk of such heat waves, which differs from findings in other global regions like Europe.
• Human-induced climate change slightly increased the probability of 51°C maximum temperatures being exceeded in the Phalodi region in 2015, moving from a 1 in 20-30 year event to a 1 in 7-10 year event, though natural sea surface temperatures had a higher influence.
• Aerosols in the atmosphere are likely offsetting the surface warming trend in India, particularly for pre-monsoon maximum temperatures, by blocking sunlight.
• Increased irrigation in northern and central India has likely contributed to lower or absent trends in pre-monsoon maximum temperatures by using solar energy for evaporation rather than heating.
• The health impacts of heat waves in India are exacerbated by high air pollution and increasing humidity, which hinders the body's ability to cool down through sweat evaporation.
• The May 2016 heat wave resulted in at least 17 deaths in Gujarat, 7 in Madhya Pradesh, and 16 in Rajasthan, while also causing crop failures affecting hundreds of millions of people.

APA

World Weather Attribution (2016). India Heat Wave 2016. https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/india-heat-wave-2016/

Chicago

World Weather Attribution. India Heat Wave 2016. 2016. https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/india-heat-wave-2016/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Weather Attribution |title=India Heat Wave 2016 |date=1 June 2016 |url=https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/india-heat-wave-2016/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldweatherattribution2016india, author = {{World Weather Attribution}}, title = {{India Heat Wave 2016}}, institution = {World Weather Attribution}, year = {2016}, month = jun, url = {https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/india-heat-wave-2016/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }