India, May 15 -- The devastating storms in Uttar Pradesh on May 13 and May 14 that have killed more than 117 people were caused by the interaction of multiple weather systems with wind speeds similar to very severe cyclones in some of the affected areas.

Such powerful winds on land are a symptom of warming and consequent climate change which have led to the slowing down or stilling of planetary scale winds while localised winds in convective storm systems and cyclones have become stronger.

Around 26 districts in both eastern and western Uttar Pradesh have been affected by the thunderstorms that carried fierce winds along with dust and hail. Six places in eastern Uttar Pradesh and seven places in western Uttar Pradesh recorded peak wind ...