A health warning for Bengaluru's kids and elderly as night-time temperature rise to 12-year highs

Bengaluru is presently experiencing an unprecedented heatwave, characterized by exceptionally high daytime temperatures that are leaving residents feeling uncomfortably warm and sweaty. This has prompted a warning from doctors. Adding to the discomfort, the city is undergoing some of its hottest nights on record, with minimum temperatures reaching unprecedented levels in recent days. Citing Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), TOI reported that Monday and Tuesday saw the warmest nights in Bengaluru in the past 12 years, with temperatures recorded at 24.5°C and 24.3°C, respectively.

Typically, Bengaluru experiences cool nights during the summer, offering a reprieve from the scorching daytime heat. However, meteorologists and health professionals are expressing concern over the current trend of warmer nights coupled with intense daytime temperatures, as it poses potential risks to public health.

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A senior scientist at IMD Bengaluru, explained that the normal nighttime temperature for April in Bengaluru ranges around 21-22 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless, recent nights have seen temperatures soaring to unprecedented levels, reaching a peak of 24.5 degrees Celsius on Monday and 24.3 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. This surge in temperature is attributed to the formation of clouds during the early hours, which trap heat radiated from the earth and buildings, thus resulting in warmer nights. The weather department official emphasized that if not for the cloud cover, nights would have been cooler, following the typical pattern of summer nights.

Health warning

A health official from the department of family welfare highlighted the importance of cooler nights during summer for aiding the body's cooling process. The disruption of this physiological mechanism due to warmer nights could lead to increased heat stress, particularly affecting vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly, the official told TOI.

Heatwave warning for Karnataka

Heatwave conditions have been observed in isolated areas across North Interior Karnataka over the past few days, with similar conditions expected to persist in various regions including Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Telangana, Rayalaseema, and Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam. Warm night conditions are also anticipated in isolated pockets of Odisha and North Interior Karnataka. Furthermore, hot and humid weather is forecasted for Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, and Coastal Karnataka during the specified period.