After Hottest Summer, A Harsher Winter Is Coming

Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir are expected to be impacted as the temperatures may drop to around 3°C.

India is likely to witness an unusually harsh winter this year as the temperatures could fall to 3°C in some states. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has attributed this expected cold snap to the onset of La Niña in September 2024. 

Northern states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir are expected to be impacted as the temperatures may drop to around 3°C. The colder conditions, coupled with increased rainfall, may adversely affect agriculture, particularly winter crops, and could lead to challenges in rural and remote areas.

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The La Niña Impact

Meaning the girl in Spanish, La Niña is the climatic counterpart to El Niño and these both have  opposite behaviours. It generally brings colder winters. During a La Nina event, strong easterly winds push ocean waters westward, leading to a cooling of the ocean surface. La Niña starts between April and June and gains strength from October to February. 

2024 Saw The Hottest Summer

This summer’s global temperatures were 0.1 degrees Celsius warmer than any other summer in NASA's records, including the previous high set in 2023. June through August was 2.25 degrees Fahrenheit (1.25 degrees Celsius) warmer than the average summer between 1951 and 1980, with August alone 2.34 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 degrees Celsius) above the historical baseline. 

India saw 536 Heatwave Days This Summer

The 536 heatwave days that India saw this year were the highest in 14 years and the Northwest India saw the warmest June, as per the India Meteorological Department. In June alone, the country recorded 181 heatwave days in June, which is the highest after 177 days in 2010.

The monthly average maximum temperature in northwest India was 38.02 degrees Celsius, which is 1.96 degrees above normal. While the average minimum temperature was 25.44 degrees Celsius, 1.35 degrees above normal.

The country experienced over 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases and more than 100 heat-related deaths during one of its most intense and prolonged heatwaves. The severe heat drained water supply systems and power grids, creating a significant water crisis in parts of India, including the national capital.