2025 summer may rival last year’s record heat, warns IMD; heatwave days may spike from April to June

Brace for a searing summer. India is likely to face hotter-than-usual temperatures from April to June, with a sharp spike in heatwave days expected across central, eastern, and northwestern regions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned on March 31. This year’s early onset of extreme heat is already setting records — and raising alarms.

India typically records four to seven heatwave days between April and June. This year, however, many regions may see two to four additional days of extreme heat, according to IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

States expected to face above-normal heatwave activity 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.

“Some states, including eastern Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, are expected to have 10 to 11 heatwave days during this period,” Mohapatra said.

Maximum temperatures are likely to soar across most of India in April, barring parts of the extreme south and northwest where conditions may remain near normal. Minimum temperatures, too, are expected to stay above average in most areas, except a few pockets in the northwest and northeast.

The Centre has already instructed states to assess hospital preparedness for heatstroke and related illnesses.

India faced a punishing summer last year, logging 536 heatwave days — the highest in 14 years. Government data also recorded 41,789 suspected heat stroke cases and 143 heat-related deaths, though experts caution the true toll may be underreported due to data gaps.

This year, the heatwave began even earlier. In 2024, Odisha saw the first heatwave on April 5. But in 2025, Konkan and coastal Karnataka recorded heatwave conditions as early as February 27-28.

With electricity usage closely tied to rising temperatures, experts warn of a 9-10 percent spike in power demand this summer. In 2024, India’s all-time peak power demand hit 250 gigawatts on May 30, overshooting projections by 6.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the IMD expects normal rainfall in April — between 88 to 112 percent of the long-term average of 39.2 mm. Northwest, northeast, west-central, and peninsular India may see normal to above-normal showers. However, IMD has flagged the risk of landslides in parts of Kerala and Karnataka's Western Ghats, and potential flooding in northeastern states.

(With inputs from PTI)