Temperature records are being shattered across Asia, providing further evidence of the impact of climate change. From India’s scorching summers to Australia’s unusually hot winters, the sweltering temperatures align with long-standing warnings from climate scientists. These record-breaking temperatures come at a time when countries like Greece and Canada are grappling with unprecedented heatwaves and devastating wildfires.
In India, the world’s most populous country, officials revealed that August 2023 marked the hottest and driest August since national records began over a century ago. Typically, this month experiences the peak of the annual monsoon season, accounting for up to 80% of the country’s yearly rainfall. However, despite heavy downpours that triggered deadly floods in the country’s north, the overall rainfall has remained significantly below average. August recorded only 161.7 millimeters of rainfall, 30.1 mm less than the previous record set in 2005, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). As a result, the nation is enduring relentless heat, with the IMD attributing it to a large rainfall deficiency and weak monsoon conditions.
Japan also witnessed scorching conditions this summer, with authorities reporting it as the country’s hottest summer since records began in 1898. The weather agency noted that temperatures from June to August were significantly higher than the historical average across the north, east, and west regions of Japan. Record-high temperatures were recorded for both maximum and minimum thresholds in many locations.
Meanwhile, winter in Australia also broke records, turning out to be the warmest on record. The Bureau of Meteorology revealed that the average temperature for the winter season (June to August) was 16.75 degrees Celsius. This figure surpassed the previous record set in 1996, marking the highest average winter temperature since record-keeping commenced in 1910.
Scientists have long warned about the impact of climate change, with heatwaves becoming more frequent, hotter, and longer. The effects of climate change, compounded by the warming El Niño weather pattern, are likely to intensify later this year. Heatwaves are among the most deadly natural disasters, with hundreds of thousands of people dying annually due to preventable heat-related causes.
Developed countries can mitigate the impact through adaptations like air conditioning. However, even in wealthy Japan, authorities reported that at least 53 people died of heatstroke in July, with nearly 50,000 requiring emergency medical attention. The effects of extreme heat are not evenly distributed, with young children, the elderly, and those who work outdoors being more vulnerable. Experts warn that extreme heat can be lethal even at lower temperature levels.
John Nairn, a senior extreme heat adviser at the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO), emphasizes that heatwaves are becoming increasingly dangerous. He states, “It’s the most rapidly emerging consequence of global warming that we are seeing.” Nairn urges people to take the signs seriously, as extreme heat will only intensify and become more frequent in the future.