Orange Alert for Severe Heatwave in Western Uttar Pradesh as Temperatures Soar Above 45°C

Heatwave Chokes Western Uttar Pradesh: Orange Alert Sounded as Temperatures Crash Records

Life in western Uttar Pradesh has turned into a relentless battle against the sun. The mercury isn’t just creeping upward—it's sprinting past records. For days, residents of places like Agra and Jhansi have watched the thermometer head north of 45°C. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has responded by issuing an Orange Alert for 11 districts, signaling a real and present danger from this scorching heat.

This Orange Alert, the second-highest warning, covers districts such as Agra, Jhansi, Mathura, Aligarh, Hathras, Firozabad, Etawah, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Mahoba, and Lalitpur. The IMD hands out these alerts when the weather becomes not just uncomfortable, but hazardous, especially for vulnerable people—the elderly, children, and those with health issues.

It's not just a handful of places struggling. Across 22 districts, Monday saw the maximum temperature shoot above 40°C. Varanasi in the east wasn’t spared either, climbing to 41.6°C on June 15. Hot, dry winds blow ceaselessly, pulling humidity down and sucking the remaining moisture from already thirsty ground. All of this makes for a difficult environment for anyone who has to work or travel outside, and leaves the region’s farmers and laborers especially hard-hit.

Ongoing Risks: Sleepless, Sweaty Nights and Looming Health Problems

It’s not just the daytime that’s punishing—western UP is also battling abnormally warm nights. In 14 districts, including the hardest-hit Orange Alert areas, the night offers barely any respite, with temperatures refusing to dip. Blame it on the trapped heat: structures retain warmth, and poor ventilation in homes makes sleeping hard. Warm nights magnify health risks, particularly dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even heatstroke.

On top of all this, 25 districts, including areas stretching into the NCR, have been slapped with a Yellow Alert. While not as severe as Orange, it’s a blunt warning—temperatures are still high enough to cause trouble, and hot winds will persist for the next few days. Many are resorting to desperate coping tricks: darkened rooms, wet cloths on windows, and endless jugs of water just to get by.

According to a senior meteorologist, there’s some hope on the horizon—but don’t expect instant relief. After June 11, moisture-packed winds from the Bay of Bengal could reach eastern UP and parts of Purvanchal, nudging temperatures down and even bringing light rain. Still, this relief won’t arrive in the worst-hit western regions right away, and Bundelkhand along with Agra might have to sweat it out for another day or two before things begin to ease.

With June normally marking the threshold before the southwest monsoon sweeps through, this year’s relentless heat is a harsh reminder that summer in UP can be more than just uncomfortable—it can be deadly. For now, people are being urged to stay indoors, keep hydrated, and avoid any unnecessary exposure to the sun between noon and late afternoon. It’s a waiting game with the sky, and for millions in Uttar Pradesh, it’s a tough one.