Explaining the extreme heat in northeast India

In the northeastern region of India, an unusual heatwave has enveloped Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh. Temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius are not typical for this time of year in the northeastern states.

This rising heat is attributed to a phenomenon known as the “heat dome effect.” The heat dome effect is explained as a type of high-pressure system (also known as anticyclone) that forms over a large area in the atmosphere, and causes extremely hot and dry weather conditions.

As a result, residents are suffering from serious health complications, with reports indicating that seven lives have been lost due to this oppressive heat, with mobile applications informing a staggering “feels like 50 degrees.”