This is surprising prediction for summer of 2024

The latest report from Copernicus, the European Union's climate monitoring program, paints a concerning picture for the upcoming summer of 2024. Satellite data predicts a 70% probability of warmer-than-normal temperatures, adding to the trend of increasingly hot summers observed in recent years. This forecast is especially alarming given the already-record-breaking temperatures experienced globally over the past year.

Asia, in particular, has been grappling with extreme heat, with temperatures soaring to 50ºC in some regions. Meanwhile, Europe has witnessed unusual temperature fluctuations, with early indications of summer-like conditions appearing in the first half of the year. Now, with the prospect of an even hotter summer looming, preparations for potential impacts become crucial.

The effects of rising temperatures have been starkly felt across the globe. In Asia, millions of children in Bangladesh saw their schools closed due to the scorching heat, while rice fields in Vietnam suffered from drought conditions. In India, voters braved 110-degree Fahrenheit temperatures during recent elections.

According to Copernicus data, the summer of 2024 in the northern hemisphere will be accompanied by the weakening of El Niño. This is a phenomenon that occurs from time to time due to the warming of the Pacific Ocean. It is something completely natural, although climate change seems to be intensifying it.

Normally, El Niño can increase global temperatures by about 0.2 ºC. However, in 2023 it promoted an increase of 1.45 ºC above pre-industrial levels. It is not usual for this phenomenon to remain at its peak for two years in a row. Predictions from the Copernicus satellites suggest that, although it will continue to be very active in June of this year, it will gradually weaken.

However, this does not guarantee a cooler summer ahead. With recent occurrences of this phenomenon and the ongoing impact of climate change, there's a strong likelihood that temperatures will soar well above the usual averages. Moreover, forecasts also suggest that the summer of 2024 will experience lower-than-normal precipitation levels. Considering the already prevalent dry conditions, this could potentially lead to severe drought situations.

Will there be heat waves?

The summer of 2023 was full of heat waves, so it would not be strange for 2024 to follow the same dynamic.

Given these circumstances, it's crucial to initiate precautionary measures and brace ourselves for what could potentially be one of the hottest summers in recent memory. In line with this, The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued forecasts indicating above-normal temperatures across most parts of India for the 2024 hot weather season (April to June), except for select areas in the northeast and northwest. Additionally, the IMD has raised alerts for heatwaves in various regions, including North Goa, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and West Bengal.

We will have to prepare our homes for a scorching summer like the one we are experiencing in 2023. The tricks to try to sleep despite the high temperatures and to ventilate the house at the right time will remain the same. In addition, as always, you will have to be careful not to go outside during peak hours of maximum temperatures. All this if the predictions come true, of course. We will still have to wait a little to see what happens.