Delhi: India is likely to face a hotter-than-usual summer this year, with the number of heatwave days between March and May projected to be higher than the seasonal norm, the weather department said on Saturday. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director-general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), noted that minimum temperatures in March, the opening month of the summer season, are expected to stay above average across much of the country.
According to IMD data, both daytime and nighttime temperatures in February were already above normal, making it the fifth-warmest February recorded since observations began in 1901.
Winter crops, including wheat, rapeseed and chickpeas, are typically sown between October and December and depend on sustained cool conditions during their growth period to achieve optimal yields. Higher-than-normal temperatures in March could affect grain development in these maturing crops and may lead to lower yields, a Mumbai-based dealer at a global trade house said.
India, the world’s second-largest wheat producer and the largest importer of edible oils, is relying on a strong 2026 harvest to enable wheat exports and reduce expensive imports of palm, soy and sunflower oils.
“Above-normal heatwave days are expected across most parts of the country during March to May 2026,” Mohapatra said.