New Delhi [India]: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heat advisory for May, cautioning that above-normal temperatures and increased heatwave activity are likely across many parts of the country as India enters the peak of its pre-monsoon season.
Speaking during a virtual press conference on Wednesday, IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra highlighted key climate patterns and anomalies, including drier-than-usual conditions for much of the country and above-average rainfall only in parts of northern India.
“April 2025 recorded extreme weather contrasts,” Mohapatra said. “It was the 50th driest April on record since 1901 across India. Yet, southern and central India experienced substantial rainfall, with the southern peninsula receiving its 13th highest April rainfall since 1901 and 5th highest since 2001,” he added.
In stark contrast, northwest, central, and northeast India recorded normal to above-normal daytime temperatures, contributing to increased heatwave activity, especially in Rajasthan and Gujarat, which experienced 6 to 11 heatwave days, well above the average of 2 to 3. Other severely affected regions included East Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha, with 4 to 6 heatwave days.
The month-long heat spike peaked between April 3 and 10, affecting Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. By the end of April, the country had already experienced 72 days of heatwave or severe heatwave conditions across different meteorological subdivisions.
The IMD also reported that:
- Maximum temperatures in April 2025 were the 8th highest ever recorded in India.
- Minimum temperatures ranked 9th highest for the month.
Looking forward, May is forecast to be even hotter, with above-normal maximum temperatures predicted across most of India, excluding some southern and eastern regions where temperatures may remain near or slightly below average. However, minimum temperatures are likely to stay elevated nationwide.
The number of heatwave days is expected to increase further, especially in:
- Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal
- Parts of Gujarat, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and northern Karnataka
On the rainfall front, northern India is expected to receive above-normal rainfall, surpassing the long-term average of 64.1 mm for May. However, below-average precipitation is expected across northwest, central, and northeast India, while the rest of the country may see normal to slightly above-normal rainfall.
Climatic indicators such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) are currently neutral, with forecasts indicating that these neutral conditions will continue throughout the northern summer.