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India Roars: Unprecedented Heat Arrives Before Spring
16 Mar
Summary
- Delhi experienced its hottest day this year on March 11, hitting 36.8°C.
- Temperatures in Delhi-NCR are 5-7°C above normal, with nights also warmer.
- India forecasts above-normal heatwave days from March to May.
Delhi and vast regions of India are enduring unseasonably intense heat, with temperatures rising sharply even before the official arrival of spring. This early warmth, recorded around March 11, 2026, indicates that climate change is increasingly disrupting traditional weather patterns. Delhi registered its hottest day of the year on March 11, reaching 36.8°C, the highest March temperature since 2011.
Daytime temperatures in Delhi-NCR have hovered around 35°C, approximately 5°C to 7°C above the usual seasonal average. Nighttime temperatures remain 3°C to 4°C higher than normal. This phenomenon is occurring despite the presence of La Niña, a cooling climate event. Meteorologists attribute the sustained warmth to rising greenhouse gas emissions, which are steadily elevating global temperatures.
The India Meteorological Department has forecast an above-normal number of heatwave days across the country from March to May 2026. This early heat in Delhi serves as a precursor to what is expected to be a significantly hotter-than-usual summer. Climate experts warn that if current trends persist, India could face more frequent heatwaves, erratic rainfall, and shorter winters in the coming decades.
Mumbai also reported extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 40°C on March 10, about 7.6°C above normal. Heatwave conditions were also observed in parts of Himachal Pradesh and Vidarbha, Maharashtra, indicating a widespread early onset of high temperatures.
