Severe Heatwaves Hit Multiple Regions Across India

India is currently grappling with severe heatwaves affecting various regions, particularly in Gujarat and Maharashtra. The India Meteorological Department has issued warnings for rising temperatures in Mumbai and surrounding areas. In North India, temperatures are significantly above normal, prompting concerns about the ongoing heat conditions. This article provides an overview of the current weather situation, including specific temperature readings and forecasts for the coming days, highlighting the impact of these extreme weather patterns across the country.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 13, 2026, 13:21 IST

Heatwave Conditions Across the Country

In recent days, various regions in India have experienced intense heatwaves, particularly in Gujarat's Saurashtra-Kutch area and Maharashtra's Vidarbha region.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted heatwave conditions for Mumbai and its surrounding districts, including Thane, Palghar, and Raigad, for Friday and Saturday. Isolated areas in Vidarbha are also facing similar conditions.

In North India, many areas reported daytime temperatures exceeding normal levels by over 5.1 degrees Celsius.

The IMD defines a heatwave as occurring when temperatures surpass 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees Celsius in coastal regions, and 30 degrees Celsius in hilly areas.

Gujarat's Heatwave Situation

Gujarat

Severe heatwave conditions have been noted in several parts of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Dessa, Surat, and Anand. The IMD reported that areas in the Saurashtra-Kutch region, such as Porbandar, Rajkot, Gir Somnath, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar, and Kutch, also faced extreme temperatures in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday morning.

On Wednesday, Rajkot recorded a maximum temperature of 41.9 degrees Celsius, marking the highest temperature in Gujarat for that day.

Ahmedabad experienced a slight drop in temperature on Thursday, with readings falling to 38.9 degrees Celsius from 41.4 degrees Celsius the previous day, although this was still 3.8 degrees above the normal range.

Maharashtra's Rising Temperatures

Maharashtra

The IMD has indicated that heatwave conditions will persist in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Raigad on Friday and Saturday, marking the third such warning in a fortnight.

Temperatures in Mumbai are expected to exceed 38 degrees Celsius on Friday and remain around 37 degrees on Saturday, according to the weather agency.

An anti-cyclone system forming over the sea is anticipated to contribute to the rising temperatures, as noted by the IMD Mumbai director.

Amravati in the Vidarbha region recorded the highest temperature in the country on Thursday at 42.2 degrees Celsius, which is 6.8 degrees above normal. Akola was slightly cooler at 42 degrees Celsius, while Nagpur reached 39 degrees Celsius, the highest so far this season.

North India's Temperature Surge

North India

In North India, daytime temperatures were reported to be over 5.1 degrees Celsius above normal in regions such as Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, and both West and East Rajasthan.

In Delhi, maximum temperatures ranged from 35 to 38 degrees Celsius.

IMD Director General M Mohapatra stated that such heatwave occurrences in March are typical and were predicted in advance.

However, the IMD has also forecasted potential rainfall in Punjab from March 14 to 16 due to an incoming western disturbance.