May 2024 is the hottest ever recorded in India

The Copernicus Climate Change Service conducted a study stating, "Temperature changes indicate that in the current climate, large areas of India this year are at least 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than the regions analyzed in the past. Precipitation changes have not shown any significant variations," the analysis reads.

Analysts at ClimaMeter have indicated that the heatwave in India in May is a result of the El Niño phenomenon—the abnormal warming of the sea surface in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, as well as the rapid increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, primarily carbon dioxide and methane.

Researchers analyzed variations in events with high temperatures similar to the Indian heatwave in May (2001-2023) compared to the past (1979-2001).

Davide Faranda from the French National Centre for Scientific Research said that ClimaMeter's findings emphasize that heatwaves in India are reaching intolerable temperature thresholds. "There is no technological solution to adapt Indian metropolises to temperatures approaching 50 degrees Celsius. We should all take action now to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and avoid exceeding critical temperature thresholds in large subtropical areas," he said.

Gianmarco Mengaldo from the National University of Singapore stated that the research results illustrate the complex interplay between natural variability and climate change, the latter playing a significant role in key weather pattern changes in tropical and subtropical regions, which could significantly intensify heatwaves in the near future.