A tale of two extremes sends temperatures soaring into the 40s
This weekend saw extreme temperatures on both the Prairies and across northern India
This weekend is a story of extremes a world apart.
Winter-like temperatures gripping the Prairies have given Canada the title of the world’s coldest temperature anomalies.
Meanwhile, searing temperatures in northern India forced readings to soar beyond the 40-degree mark, a level of heat that’s unusual this early in the season.
DON’T MISS: One of the most extreme cold anomalies on Earth is over Canada
Extremes beget extremes in the atmosphere. Unusually cold temperatures in one part of the world will inevitably see unusually hot conditions somewhere else.
A potent trough over the centre of Canada allowed widespread snow and frosty temperatures to blanket the region heading into this weekend.
Readings struggled to climb much above the freezing mark across the Prairies on Sunday. Calgary hasn’t seen such a cold high this late in the year since May 1996. Conditions will remain 10-15+ degrees below seasonal in Alberta through Monday morning.
It’s the opposite concern in northern India, where very hot temperatures are parked firmly in place for the next couple of days thanks to a ridge of high pressure over the subcontinent.
Sunday saw highs climb to 44°C in the cities of Ahmedabad and Nagpur, while the day’s temperature topped out at 42°C in New Delhi.
Folks throughout the region will continue enduring daytime highs in the 40s through at least the middle of the week. For context, a typical April high in New Delhi registers around 37°C.
Extreme heat is routinely one of the world’s deadliest weather disasters. A potent heat wave can kill hundreds or even thousands of people, especially in communities without reliable access to life-saving resources like clean water or air conditioning.