File:Heatwave in northwest India.jpg

English: These images, produced using data from the Copernicus Sentinel-3A satellite acquired on 12 April 2022, show a cloudless view (right) and land surface temperature (left) over northwest India. India is facing a prolonged heatwave: in the northwestern region, the rainfall level during the pre-monsoon season, which started on March 1, reached only 9% of the long-period average (LPA). Moreover, temperatures are exceeding 41°C in numerous cities. Experts at the Indian Institute of Technology’s Water and Climate Lab stated that, in recent years, the number of Indian states hit by heatwaves has increased and extremely hot temperatures have become less uncommon. At 5:03 UTC (10:33 local time), the absence of cloud cover provided Sentinel-3A with a clear and detailed view of the area. This enabled accurate measurements of the land surface temperature (i.e. the temperature of the soil), which exceeded 50°C in several areas. The Copernicus Sentinel-3 twin satellites are fitted with a Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) instrument, which allows the accurate monitoring of land surface temperature on a global basis.