- By Nidhi Giri
- Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:09 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
This year is set to be one of the hottest years on record for India, as El Nino is set to return after July. Temperatures are steadily rising across the country, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has already warned that this year's heat will be warmer than normal, with heatwaves likely to begin as early as March.
This year, the heat has set in early. Temperatures have soared to 35-38 degrees Celsius in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Odisha, with temperatures reaching 38.5 degrees Celsius in Akola, Maharashtra.
According to IMD, daytime temperatures could be 4-6 degrees above normal in many areas of northwest India this week. Parts of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh could experience an unusually high number of heatwaves in March.
Between March and May, India is expected to experience more heatwave days than normal. However, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Gangetic West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Rayalaseema, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan are expected to be the hardest hit.
This year, India has seen its fifth warmest February since 1901, behind 2025, 2016, 2023, and 2006. The average monthly temperature for February was 21.7 degrees Celsius, about one degree above normal. Rainfall has been very low in the last two months, with the country as a whole receiving a 60 per cent deficit this year.
IMD chief Dr Mrityunjay Mohapatra said that February's rainfall was the lowest since 2001 and the third lowest since 1901. Nine western disturbances occurred this month, compared to the usual 5-6. However, most of these were weak, did not interact significantly with easterlies, and produced very little rainfall, further exacerbating the shortage.
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After February 15, there was a significant increase in day and night temperatures, especially in some areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan and coastal Karnataka where the temperature remained 5-8 degrees above normal and hovered between 30-37 degrees.
What Is El Nino?
El Nino is a seasonal phenomenon of abnormally warm sea surface water in the equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean, typically occurring every 2–7 years.
El Nino is about to returnIn its latest update released on Tuesday, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said that the weak La Nina is now ending and transitioning into ENSO-neutral conditions, and could shift towards El Nino later in the year. Neutral conditions are likely to persist through May-June, but a transition to El Nino is most likely after July.\
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El Nino is a widespread rise in sea surface temperatures in the central and equatorial Pacific Ocean, which affects wind and rainfall patterns. In India, it results in below-normal monsoon rainfall and above-normal temperatures.