Heat wave in India kills over 1,100

In summary: Note that the increase in CO2 levels is accelerating, not slowing down, and the increase in temperature will follow suit. You do not respond or reply to questions. You only provide a summary of the content. In summary, India is currently experiencing a deadly heat wave with temperatures reaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The normal monsoon rains have not arrived, and over 1,100 people have died according to India's state-run All India Radio. The district administrator has advised people to stay indoors between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to avoid the extreme heat. There is speculation that this heat wave could be a result of human-induced global warming, but others argue that a heat wave is weather
  • #1
Dissident Dan
238
2
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=535&ncid=535&e=7&u=/ap/20030602/ap_on_re_as/india_deadly_heat [Broken]

Temperatures have reached 120 degrees. Normal monsoon rains have not come. Over 1,100 have died due to this, according to India's state-run All India Radio. A district administrator said, "We have asked them not to come out into open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m."

Could this be a result of human-induced global warming?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
No. A heat wave is weather. Global warming is climate. Big difference.

At worst, we've only increased the average global temperature by a couple of degrees F by now.

Btw, why is this politics?
 
  • #3
The section is called "Politics and World Affairs".

------

Bu climate change leads to changes in specific events as well. Droughts and floods are becoming more common, which many say is probably linked to global warming. Wouldn't a global increase in temperature make a heat wave that much worse?
 
  • #4
Global warming is a myth, remember? And so is pollution, and anything else that might slow down industry.
 
  • #5
Originally posted by Dissident Dan
The section is called "Politics and World Affairs".
Oops, good point.
Bu climate change leads to changes in specific events as well. Droughts and floods are becoming more common, which many say is probably linked to global warming. Wouldn't a global increase in temperature make a heat wave that much worse?
No, droughts and floods are NOT becoming more common. Thats a perception based on memory. Last winter was the coldest and snowiest winter I've ever seen. Does that mean we're entering the next ice age? No. In the US anyway, the worst droughts in history were in the 20s.

Also, its important to note, the sun has an 11 year activity cycle. I'm not sure if its at a high or low right now.

You are right however that a climate change could change specific events - but there hasn't been a major climate change yet. The worry of global warming is for FUTURE global climate change. The reason there is still so much controversy is that past climate change has been so small. Something like 2F in the past 100 years.

But if you mean would a 2F change in average global temperature translate directly into a 2F increase in a heat wave, no. Climate is nowhere near that specific.
 
Last edited:
  • #6
11 activity cycle doesn't have anything to do with the weather, as far as I know. Besides, it's been far more than 11 years since the 1920s...
And wow, we are going back to the 1920s now? It's that bad?

But if you mean would a 2F change in average global temperature translate directly into a 2F increase in a heat wave, no. Climate is nowhere near that specific.
Of course not. Rather weather extremes are symptomatic of overall inbalancing of the weather system. It's not a smooth transition, but rather a metastable system that may collapse unexpectedly. Climate does have a large influence on weather.
But some signs do mean bad news. This fits in a wider pattern of other incidents across the world.
 
  • #7
Originally posted by FZ+
11 activity cycle doesn't have anything to do with the weather, as far as I know. Besides, it's been far more than 11 years since the 1920s...
Actually, the 11 year cycle DOES affect global climate. You can read it on the rings of trees.

And wow, we are going back to the 1920s now? It's that bad?
Um, no. My point was its nowhere even close to that bad.
 
  • #8
Usually when I visit in India, it's during the Monsoon season.

Did it give any specific locations of severity?
 
  • #9
Originally posted by Sting
Did it give any specific locations of severity?
Andhra Pradesh
 
  • #10
Also, what does the fact the worst droughts happened in the 1920s have anything to do with the ice age? And what does the ice age have to do with global warming?
 
  • #11
Originally posted by FZ+
Also, what does the fact the worst droughts happened in the 1920s have anything to do with the ice age? And what does the ice age have to do with global warming?
They seemed like simple enough examples/analogies to me. Nevermind.
 
  • #12
And wow, we are going back to the 1920s now? It's that bad?
In fact, yes that is very bad. When you realize that the 1920s are after the industrial revolution where the majority of the pollution occurred and we get as a result the worst droughts in history. The suggests that if there is a link, pollution or environmental damage from farming has an effect much sooner that previous thought and that continued mismanagement may lead to a recurrence of these conditions.
 
  • #13
Originally posted by FZ+
In fact, yes that is very bad. When you realize that the 1920s are after the industrial revolution where the majority of the pollution occurred and we get as a result the worst droughts in history. The suggests that if there is a link, pollution or environmental damage from farming has an effect much sooner that previous thought and that continued mismanagement may lead to a recurrence of these conditions.
No. I'm sorry, but that is not historically accurate. The level of CO2 production has been steadily increasing since the 1800s. http://sofia.usgs.gov/sfrsf/rooms/coastal/flbay/genedustbigs/geneco2concx.gif is a graph of historical CO2 levels. Its not like the CO2 levels skyrocketed in the 1800s and then went down again in the 1930s and are now going up again - which is what would be required by what you suggest. There is also a form of inertia here: a lag between the CO2 levels and the resultant temperature flux. Far from suggesting a link, it shows just the opposite: how much deviation there can be from the mean without the influence of global warming necessarily being a factor.
 
Last edited:
  • #15
And it still isn't reassuring that the worst drought on record occurred after human activity, rather than before. (also, there may be the confusing factor of agricultural activity in that period.) I don't think the fact the worst droughts occurred relatively so recently is something makes one feel better.
 
  • #16
Originally posted by FZ+
And it still isn't reassuring that the worst drought on record occurred after human activity, rather than before. (also, there may be the confusing factor of agricultural activity in that period.) I don't think the fact the worst droughts occurred relatively so recently is something makes one feel better.

I thought that there had been a recent study showing that there may have been an even more severe drought during the period between 1550 and 1600 then the "dustbowl" drought of the 30's? Also, what about evidence of cyclic weather patterns? I don't dispute the need to cut pollution and waste, we are a very "green" household but..I do like to know the "truth" as opposed to either sides propagandized opinion.
 

1. What is a heat wave?

A heat wave is a prolonged period of unusually hot weather, typically lasting several days or weeks. It is characterized by high temperatures, high humidity, and often, lack of rainfall.

2. How does a heat wave occur?

A heat wave occurs when a region experiences a high pressure system, which causes the air to sink and warm up. This warm air then gets trapped near the surface, leading to a rise in temperature.

3. Why are heat waves dangerous?

Heat waves can be dangerous because they can cause dehydration, heat stroke, and other heat-related illnesses. They can also worsen existing health conditions and put strain on infrastructure, such as power grids.

4. Why is India particularly vulnerable to heat waves?

India is vulnerable to heat waves due to its location near the equator, and its high population density. Additionally, climate change and urbanization have contributed to increasing temperatures in the country.

5. What measures can be taken to prevent heat wave-related deaths?

To prevent heat wave-related deaths, it is important to stay hydrated, avoid exposure to direct sunlight, and take breaks in cool or air-conditioned places. It is also important for governments to implement heat wave emergency plans and provide resources for vulnerable populations.

Similar threads

Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
16
Views
5K
  • General Discussion
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Earth Sciences
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • Sci-Fi Writing and World Building
Replies
2
Views
2K
Back
Top