The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday said that an “above-normal” number of heatwave days are likely in parts of eastern, central, northwestern and southeast peninsula India between April and June this year.
In a monthly forecast, the weather department added that maximum temperatures are likely to be “normal to below normal” in the remaining regions of the country.
“During the season, above-normal minimum temperatures are likely over most parts of the country except some regions of Maharashtra and Telangana where normal to below normal minimum temperatures are likely,” it added.
The department also noted that the monthly maximum temperatures in April are likely to be normal to below normal in several areas.
However, above-normal maximum temperatures are expected in several parts of eastern and northeastern India, and some areas of northwestern India and the southern peninsula, it added.
The India Meteorological Department further said that above-normal monthly minimum temperatures are most likely in most parts of India, except for some isolated pockets in the southern peninsula, where normal minimum temperatures are expected in April.
“During April 2026, above-normal heatwave days are likely over many parts of coastal areas of Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh and isolated regions of Gujarat Maharashtra and Karnataka,” it added.
The weather department further said that the rainfall in April, averaged over the country as a whole, is most likely to be above normal, exceeding 112% of the long period average.
The long period average is the measure of the mean rainfall during the four-month monsoon season over the last 50 years.
“Normal to above-normal rainfall is likely over most parts of the country except northeast India,” the press release said. “Below-normal rainfall is expected over many parts of northeastern India.”
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general of the India Meteorological Department, said that western disturbances are expected to continue affecting several parts of the country in April, The Indian Express reported.
“In addition, thunderstorms, above-average rainfall and the prevalence of cloudy sky conditions will keep the maximum temperatures range between normal and below this summer season,” Mohapatra added.
Also read: India’s summer forecast is a warning that extreme heat can affect democracy
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