Extreme Heat Wave Rolls Across Southeast Asia, Lasting for Days

Posted: April 20, 2023 9:30 am

The heat has been on in the southeastern corner of Asia since last week with more record-high temperatures ahead. At least 13 fatalities have been blamed on the extreme heat that has spread across parts of India, China, Bangladesh, and Thailand.

The mercury has regularly topped the 100-degree mark as the heat hangs on.

While it may seem early for a heat wave in the Northern Hemisphere, April and May are historically the hottest months of the year in this corner of the globe.

This is because the arrival of the annual monsoon season typically brings some degree of relief to the region. However, these temperatures continue to rise at an unprecedented clip.

For instance, the temperature hit 114 degrees in the city of Tak in Thailand last Friday. This reading was good enough to take over first place for the all-time high temperature in the country, beating the previous record of 112 degrees set back in 2016 across the Mae Hong Son province.

Southeastern China also saw a number of April records fall on April 17 as the mercury continued its upward climb.

Yunhe County recorded a temperatures of 101 degrees, good for a new record for the month of April. This past Tuesday, the city of Yunnan saw a temperatures of 107 degrees.

It has also been excruciatingly hot in Bangladesh. The record high for the country was tied on April 17 when the temperature hit 109 degrees in Ishurdi.

India Records Several Fatalities at Hands of Extreme Heat

The heat will also not loosen its grip across India. New Delhi first saw the century mark eclipsed on April 13 with the temperatures still hovering above this threshold one week later.

Some areas of India have seen readings over 110 degrees for consecutive days, making it difficult for residents to find adequate relief.

At least 13 deaths have been connected to heat stroke in India. This is anddtion to the up to 60 more people who were hospitalized in the city of Navi Mumbai after they attend an outdoor ceremony.

Life has been severely disrupted throughout the region as a result of the heat. For example, multiple school closures have been reported, particularly in buildings without air conditioning.

When Will the Heat Finally Abate?

The heat began to build last week when a massive rise of high pressure positioned itself in a large area stretching from the Bay of Bengal into the Philippine Sea. This change in the weather pattern can be attributed to climate change.

While it is not unusual to see high pressure build during this time of the year over this region, the intensity of the change is being blamed on human-induced global warming.

This is not the first time that this part of Asia has been under an extreme heat wave in recent years. A significant portion of India and Pakistan experienced an even hotter heat wave in the spring of 2022 with the mercury hitting as high as 122 degrees during the worst of the weather.

While the region will need to deal with the heat in the coming days, forecasters are predicting that temperatures will begin to cool down by the weekend. Northern China will see the first of the cooldown by the end of the week with the rest of the area enjoying the respite from the heat by the next day or two.

However, more atypical warmth is back in the forecast for Southeast Asia by late next week and into the weekend. Be sure to check the local forecast if your travels are taking you to this part of the world in the coming days.

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