India is roasting — some are calling it a ‘tandoor’ — as an intense heatwave grips the entire nation, causing citizens to sweat and swelter.
It is so hot that data from AQI.in, a real-time tracker of temperature, has noted that 98 of the world’s 100 hottest cities are located in India, raising concerns over the impact of rising temperatures. As of 12.30 am, Odisha’s Rajgangpur and Balangir are the hottest cities, each touching 45 degrees Celsius under ‘extreme hot’ conditions.
How bad is the situation? What’s causing this ‘hotbox’ phenomenon? How long is it set to last? We take a look at the conditions and get you the answers.
Hot, hotter, hottest… Indian cities boil in the heat
India is in the grips of an intense
heatwave, with temperatures already touching 42–45 degrees Celsius in several regions weeks before peak summer. Extreme heat has pushed multiple cities across north, central, and western India into severe heatwave conditions, with little immediate relief expected.
The Indian weatherman, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), even issued an alert for parts of northwest and central India on Sunday (April 26), warning that the scorching conditions are likely to remain for the next three days.
Data from the weather tracker, AQI.in, has also revealed that the hottest cities in the world are in India. At the top of the charts are Rajgangpur and Balangir in Odisha, followed by Banda in Uttar Pradesh and Gohad in Madhya Pradesh. All these cities are recording extreme heat — 44 degrees Celsius.
In Maharashtra, Amravati, Bhusawal, and Nanded are sizzling away, whereas in the south, Adilabad in Telangana is scorching at 41 degrees Celsius.
India’s capital, Delhi, is also struggling with intense heat — AQI.in recorded the temperature to be between 39 degrees Celsius and 42 degrees Celsius.
Indians sweat and swelter in the heat
The heat has brought unwanted misery to Indians. In fact, so intolerable is the heat that power consumption peaked on April 24. According to data from the Grid Controller of India, electricity demand touched 252.1 GW last Friday, an increase from 240.1 GW recorded the day before.
India’s power ministry has also predicted that as the mercury rises, so will the demand for electricity, reaching a peak of 270 GW.
In comparison, peak demand was comparatively lower at 243 GW during summer 2025 due to favourable weather conditions and an early monsoon.
The intense heat has also led many schools across cities to rethink their vacation schedule. “Climate is creating havoc in the country. The weather has become unpredictable and is regularly changing. The call of summer vacations should be taken pragmatically,” Brian Seymour, Principal of GD Somani Memorial School, Mumbai, told India Today.
In the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), some schools have shifted their working hours to accommodate the extreme heat, while others are prioritising in-school safety protocols.
In the Noida and Greater Noida area, the authorities have issued a mandatory revision for all schools. From Monday, April 27, Noida schools have revised their timings to 7:30 am to 12:30 pm.
In other states such as Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Jharkhand, schools have shut down earlier for the summer, giving students and staff some relief.
India’s weatherman has also asked people in extremely hot areas to stay indoors as far as possible, and urged people to take precautions against heat-related illnesses. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can lead to
serious health risks, including heatstroke.
Notably, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia provided a unique hack to weather the heat. Addressing locals in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri, he said that they should carry an onion in their pocket. “Keep an onion in your pocket, and nothing will happen to you. And in today’s modern times, when everyone is carrying boxes, the communication minister is carrying onions. These are old things. But just as Ayurveda is progressing, we shouldn’t forget these things too.”
आधुनिक युग में सब ‘डब्बे’ लेकर घूम रहे हैं और संचार मंत्री… pic.twitter.com/K41QYKlDeq
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) April 26, 2026
Reasons for ‘hotbox’ conditions in India
But what’s driving the mercury up in India? Weather experts point to a number of reasons for the increasing temperatures.
The main reason behind this sudden rise is the fading of Western Disturbances, the weather systems that usually bring clouds, rain, and cooler winds from the west, especially to northern and northwestern India. As there are fewer clouds to block the sun, the ground is heating up faster, pushing temperatures higher.
The
heat dome effect is also to blame. High-pressure systems are trapping warm air near the surface, preventing it from rising and cooling.
A Wion report also had experts noting that the clustering of extreme temperatures within India signals rising climate variability and an increase in both the frequency and intensity of heatwaves.
Heat relief in the next few days
But there may be some relief for Indians from this horrible heat. The IMD has noted that A western disturbance is set to bring thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds across parts of western and northern India from April 28. This will give locals a welcome relief from the scorching heat.
According to the agency, the system will trigger rainfall at isolated places, with wind speeds of 30–40 kmph on April 28, increasing to 40-50 kmph on April 29. Thunderstorm activity will likely continue until at least May 2. The department said temperatures will fall by 3–5 degrees Celsius as rainfall activity increases.
But experts have warned of a ‘
Super El Niño’ developing later in the year.
For now, Indians will have to just continue to bear the brunt of this ruthless heat, with many saying ‘Haai garmi (God, this heat)’.
With inputs from agencies
First Published:
April 27, 2026, 12:39 IST
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