Uttar Pradesh has become the first state in the country to establish specific heatwave thresholds for all its districts. This new colour-coded system has been developed by the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) by conducting a comprehensive study, analysing temperature patterns since 1982.

The new heatwave alert system has been divided into three colour-coded tiers based on the temperature. For Yellow Alert, the heat threshold will range from 36.7°C to 40.58°C while for Orange Alert, it will range from 39.09°C to 43.30°C. Furthermore, during excessive heat, the Red Alert threshold will be between 41.48°C and 45.34°C.

With this new system in place, the administration in all 75 UP districts will be able to implement timely heatwave measures such as tweaking school timings and providing public health facilities to protect the populace from heat-related illnesses.

These new heatwave thresholds also provide an alternative to the existing IMD system, which defines a heatwave as occurring when the temperature goes beyond a certain degree above normal. Moreover, the IMD alert system declares heatwave alerts based on a uniform pattern for plains, coastal areas, and hills across India.

With a new system specific to Uttar Pradesh and its unique climatic conditions, the district authorities will get a clearer picture of the heatwave conditions and prepare an action plan accordingly.