Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow is facing increasing humid heat, with rising temperatures and humidity combining to make conditions feel more intense and raise health risks, according to an analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water .
The analysis of daily weather data from 2015 to 2024 warned that if humid heat conditions continue to worsen, around 4,000 people could die annually in Lucknow from heat-related causes by 2050.
Former India Meteorological Department director general K J Ramesh said global warming has led to rising temperatures as well as increasing humidity, particularly across the Indo-Gangetic plains.
"Lucknow is located in the heart of the Indo-Gangetic plains. The low elevation and basin-like geographical features of the region allow air to remain stagnant, retaining moisture," he said, adding that high humidity further intensifies heat-related health risks.
According to the CEEW analysis, Lucknow experienced 289 days of hot and severely humid conditions between 2015 and 2024, when the maximum temperature reached at least 35 degrees Celsius and humidity was 60 per cent or higher.
The trend has become more pronounced in recent years. Lucknow recorded 123 humid heat days between 2015 and 2019, an average of 24.6 days a year, compared with 166 days between 2020 and 2024. The year 2020 recorded the highest number, with 45 such days.
{{/usCountry}}The trend has become more pronounced in recent years. Lucknow recorded 123 humid heat days between 2015 and 2019, an average of 24.6 days a year, compared with 166 days between 2020 and 2024. The year 2020 recorded the highest number, with 45 such days.
{{/usCountry}}The report estimated that under a high-emissions scenario, excess heat-related deaths among all age groups in Lucknow could rise by around 50 per cent by 2050. The rate could reach 0.6 deaths per 1,000 people and, factoring in urban expansion, translate to around 4,000 heat-related deaths annually.
Senior environmental scientist Seema Javed said high humidity reduces the body's ability to cool itself through sweating, increasing the risk of heatstroke even at temperatures lower than those recorded during extreme heatwaves.
Humid nights also hamper the body's overnight recovery, placing an additional burden on outdoor workers, the elderly, children and people with serious illnesses, she said.
"People now need to understand that summers are no longer what they used to be. Comprehensive changes in government policies, along with action at the social level, are needed to protect people from the adverse effects of humid heat," Javed said.
She advised people feeling unwell due to humid heat to move to a shaded, well-ventilated place and drink plenty of water.
Abhiyan Tiwari, head of the Climate Resilience and Health division at National Research Development Corporation India, said rising temperatures, humidity and persistently warm nights were amplifying heat-related risks in Lucknow.
"The 35 per cent increase in hot and humid days between 2015-2019 and 2020-2024 is particularly concerning," Tiwari said, adding that higher humidity reduces the cooling effect of sweating while warm nights make it difficult for the body to recover.
He said cities needed more green urban planning, stronger heat action plans and targeted measures to protect vulnerable sections of society.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.