Brace for hotter April-June as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday warned that April-May-June (AMJ) will be hotter than usual and more heatwave days likely in many states, including in central and eastern and northwestern India. Temperatures across northwest India are expected to climb by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius by April 2, nudging the region back toward early summer heat.
Most parts of the country will see higher-than-normal maximum temperatures, except for some areas in western and eastern India where the temperatures are expected to be normal. Minimum temperatures will also be above normal in most regions, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said in an online press conference.
“From April to June, most parts of north and east India, central India, and the plains of northwest India are expected to experience two to four more heatwave days than normal,” he said.
“For the month of April 2025, above-normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country except some parts of extreme south peninsular India and northwest India, where normal maximum temperatures are most likely. Above-normal minimum temperatures are most likely over most parts of India, except some isolated pockets over northwest and northeast India where normal to below-normal minimum temperatures are likely during April 2025,” an IMD release said.
“During AMJ hot weather season, above-normal number of heatwave days are likely to occur over most parts of the north and east peninsula, central India, east India, and plains of northwest India. During April 2025, above-normal number of heatwave days are likely over most parts of east and central India adjoining peninsular India,” it added.
Usually, India records four to seven heatwave days from April to June. An IMD official had earlier said northwest India might face double the number of heatwave days during the summer.
The region normally experiences five to six heatwave days during the season. During AMJ hot weather season, above normal number of heatwave days are likely to occur over most parts of north and east peninsula, central India, east India and plains of northwest India.
States likely to see above-normal heatwave days include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the northern parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
In April, most parts of India will likely witness higher-than-usual maximum temperatures. However, some areas in the extreme southern and the northwestern regions may experience normal temperatures.
Minimum temperatures will be higher than usual across most of the country, except for a few places in the northwest and the northeast where temperatures may be normal or slightly below normal, Mohapatra said.
Experts have warned that India should prepare for a peak electricity demand growth of nine to 10 per cent this summer season, with the country expected to experience a higher number of heatwave days.
During heatwaves, elevated temperatures pose significant risks, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions, who are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Additionally, prolonged periods of extreme heat can lead to dehydration and strain infrastructure such as power grids and transportation systems. To address these challenges, anticipatory actions as per guidelines of National and State Disaster Management Authorities and heat action plans may be taken. This includes providing access to cooling centres, issuing heat advisories, and implementing strategies to alleviate urban heat island effects in affected areas etc. among others.
Last year, the all-India peak electricity demand crossed 250 gigawatts (GW) on May 30 — 6.3 per cent higher than projections. Climate change-induced heat stress is one of the key factors driving electricity demand.
The rainfall during April 2025 averaged over the country as a whole is most likely to be normal (88 per cent-112 per cent of Long Period Average (LPA)). The LPA of rainfall over the country during April based on data from 1971 to 2020 is about 39.2 mm
“Currently, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) condition is transitioning from weak La Niña condition to an ENSO-neutral state with above-average SSTs in the eastern and far western Pacific Ocean and below-average SSTs in the central Pacific Ocean. The latest MMCFS forecast indicates that neutral ENSO conditions are likely to continue in the upcoming season. Currently, neutral Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) conditions persist over the Indian Ocean. The latest MMCFS forecast indicates that the neutral IOD conditions are likely to continue during the upcoming season,” the IMD said.
Last week, the Union government asked states to check if their hospitals were ready to handle heatstroke and heat-related illnesses amid a rise in temperatures. India experienced an exceptionally harsh summer last year, recording 536 heatwave days, the highest in 14 years, according to the IMD.
Official data showed that India recorded 41,789 suspected heat stroke cases and 143 heat-related deaths during one of its hottest and longest heat waves. Experts have said India might be undercounting heat-related deaths due to lack of robust data.
The heat wave arrived much earlier in 2025 than last year. In 2024, India reported its first heat wave in Odisha on April 5 but parts of the Konkan and coastal Karnataka experienced heat waves as early as February 27-28 this year.
