North India heatwave 2025: Temperatures to hit 45°C across Delhi, Rajasthan this week
Synopsis
The IMD has put North India on a severe heatwave alert through 23 May, with temperatures forecast to surge 3–5°C above current levels — potentially hitting 45°C. Delhi's Safdarjung was already 0.4°C above normal on Saturday. Rajasthan faces the longest exposure, while Telangana extends the heat corridor southward. No relief is in sight until at least 23 May.
Key Takeaways
The IMD on 17 May forecast severe heatwave conditions across North and Central India through the week.
Temperatures are expected to rise 3 to 5 degrees Celsius across Northwest India by 21 May , potentially reaching 45°C .
Delhi's Safdarjung station recorded 40°C on Saturday — 0.4°C above normal — with further rises forecast.
Rajasthan faces heatwave conditions from 17–23 May ; Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi from 18–23 May ; MP and Chhattisgarh from 17–21 May .
Uttar Pradesh and Telangana are also under heatwave watch, widening the affected zone.
Isolated storms and hailstorms are forecast in MP, Vidarbha , and the Northeast on 17–18 May , but will not ease the broader heat crisis.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday, 17 May warned that Delhi and large swathes of North India are headed for a punishing heat spell, with maximum temperatures expected to climb 3 to 5 degrees Celsius above current levels over the coming week — potentially touching 45°C in the worst-affected plains.
IMD Forecast: What the Numbers Say
The weather department projected a 'hot spell' lasting through the week, with no meaningful relief in sight for residents of the plains. 'Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions likely to prevail over plains of northwest India and central India during many days of the week,' the IMD said in an official statement.
According to the IMD, maximum temperatures across Northwest India are forecast to rise gradually through 21 May, with no significant change expected on 22 and 23 May. In Delhi, the benchmark Safdarjung station recorded a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday — already 0.4 degrees above normal — signalling that the worst is still ahead.
State-by-State Heatwave Timeline
Rajasthan faces the longest exposure, with heatwave conditions forecast from 17 May to 23 May. Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi are expected to see a sharp temperature spike from 18 May to 23 May. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are under heatwave watch from 17 May to 21 May, while parts of Uttar Pradesh are bracing for moderate to severe heatwave conditions through the week.
In the south, Telangana is also forecast to face intense heat, extending the geographic reach of this weather event well beyond the traditional North Indian plains.
Isolated Relief: Storms in MP, Vidarbha, and Northeast
Not all regions are in the grip of the heat. The IMD forecast moderate rains combined with gusty winds and hailstorms in isolated pockets of Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and parts of western India on 17 and 18 May. These are localised events and are not expected to provide any systemic cooling to the broader heatwave zone.
Meanwhile, several northeastern states — including Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura — are likely to receive rainfall accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms around 18 May. Arunachal Pradesh is forecast to see heavy rainfall around the same period, underlining the stark weather contrast between India's northeast and its northwest.
Context and Public Health Concern
This comes amid growing concern over India's increasingly intense pre-monsoon heat seasons. Heatwaves across the Indo-Gangetic Plain have become more frequent and prolonged in recent years, according to climate data, placing outdoor workers, the elderly, and low-income urban populations at disproportionate risk. Authorities in affected states are expected to activate heat action plans, though no official advisories had been issued at the time of this report.
With the monsoon still weeks away, residents across the affected belt should expect little natural relief in the near term. The IMD's next update is expected to refine the forecast as conditions evolve.
Point of View
The heatwave corridor now cuts across climatic zones. Yet state-level heat action plans remain inconsistent in quality and reach, and public advisories often lag the forecast by critical hours. The real accountability question is not whether temperatures will hit 45°C — the IMD says they will — but whether governments in the affected states have operationalised cooling centres, restricted outdoor labour hours, and pushed health alerts to vulnerable populations before the peak, not after.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states in North India will face a heatwave this week?
Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh are all forecast to face heatwave or severe heatwave conditions between 17 and 23 May, according to the IMD. Telangana in the south is also expected to experience intense heat during this period.
How high will temperatures rise during the North India heatwave?
The IMD has forecast a gradual rise of 3 to 5 degrees Celsius across Northwest India through 21 May, which could push maximum temperatures toward 45°C in the worst-affected plains. Delhi's Safdarjung recorded 40°C on Saturday, already 0.4°C above normal.
When will the heatwave conditions ease in North India?
The IMD forecasts no significant change in temperatures on 22 and 23 May, meaning relief is unlikely before the final days of the forecast window. A broader easing would depend on pre-monsoon weather systems, which had not been signalled at the time of the forecast.
Will any parts of India receive rainfall during this period?
Yes, but in limited areas. The IMD forecast moderate rains, gusty winds, and hailstorms in isolated pockets of Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and parts of western India on 17 and 18 May. Northeastern states including Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh are also expected to receive rainfall around 18 May, but these events will not ease the heatwave in the northwest.
What is a severe heatwave according to IMD criteria?
The IMD classifies a 'heatwave' when the maximum temperature of a plain station reaches at least 40°C and is 4.5°C or more above normal. A 'severe heatwave' is declared when the departure exceeds 6.4°C above normal. Both thresholds carry significant public health risk, particularly for outdoor workers and elderly populations.
