Every summer, as Central and Northwest India temperatures rise above 45°C, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues heatwave alerts. Assam, in the northeast, rarely appears on the national heat map, despite high temperatures recorded across the state. Across Assam, several stations have recorded maximum temperatures above 37°C and, in some instances, reached or exceeded 40°C in recent years. In September 2023, Guwahati recorded 38.2°C, 6.4°C above normal, while Silchar recorded 39.4°C, 7.4°C above normal. On May 25, 2024, Guwahati recorded 40.1°C, at least 8°C above normal. Later that year, the city recorded 39.3°C in September, breaking its all-time temperature record for the month. More recently, in July, maximum temperatures in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Tezpur and Dhubri were around 4-5°C above normal for which the IMD issued a rare yellow alert. These recordings highlight a challenge Assam continues to face: temperatures that do not always meet India’s conventional heatwave criteria can still produce significant heat stress. Urban heat assessments of the state’s three major cities between 2020 and 2025 by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning show that land-use change, shrinking water bodies, loss of greenery and unplanned development are altering the cities’ thermal landscapes. Guwahati’s heat islands are expanding into larger heat corridors. Dibrugarh is seeing intensifying heat in its densely built core, while Silchar is emerging as the fastest-warming urban centre, with a sharp rise in critical heat-risk zones. Recent district-level precautionary advisories have included school closures or revised timings and restrictions on outdoor activities. Guwahati, Assam. Urban heat assessments…This article was originally published on Mongabay
