By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
With a delayed start to the seasonal monsoon, intense heat will dominate a large part of India as well as neighboring Pakistan in the coming weeks.
While the heat has come in pulses so far this year, the current heat wave is forecast to last well into June.
Temperatures will soar above 40 C (104 F) across central and northern India each day, with widespread high temperatures of 42-46 C (108-115 F).
Locations that will endure daily dangerous heat include Hyderabad, Nagpur, Patna, Indore, Lucknow and New Delhi.
Extremely dangerous heat is expected across northwest India this weekend, including New Delhi and the National Capital Region where high temperatures may reach 48 C (118 F).
The heat will also spread northwest into much of Pakistan and southern Afghanistan, affecting Islamabad, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan and Hyderabad.
Karachi may also endure bouts of heat during this time, but the city will avoid the most extreme conditions. Daily high temperatures of 36-40 C (97-104 F) are forecast into this weekend.
Unfortunately, this heat is not expected to break anytime soon as dry weather prevails and monsoon rainfall is still far away for northern India and Pakistan.
AccuWeather meteorologists are predicting a near-normal monsoon for the country as a whole; however, northwestern India is forecast to endure a drier-than-normal season with rainfall delayed a week or more.
Monsoon rainfall typically spreads over northwestern India, including the National Capital Region (NCR), during mid- to late June.
Residents are reminded to take the necessary precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses as the hot weather may hold firm through the entire month of June.
An Indian woman carrying a child uses a part of her sari to shield themselves from sun on a hot summer day in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The city has been experiencing extreme heat conditions with temperature recorded at 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Wear light clothing, drink plenty of water and avoid strenuous activities during the midday and afternoon hours, which are the hottest times of the day. Worsening air quality can add to health concerns.
Warm nights will make this heat wave even more dangerous, as homes and businesses without air conditioning will be unable to adequately cool before temperatures rapidly climb during the morning and midday hours.
The elderly and children are more prone to heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion during long-duration heat waves such as this.
India endures lengthy heat waves each year prior to the arrival of monsoon rainfall. More than 6,000 heat-related deaths have been reported in India since 2010, according to the Times of India.
Download the free AccuWeather app to get precise temperature forecasts for your community.
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