India Weather Today: Extreme Heat in North, Thunderstorms and Rain in East

India wakes to a country split down its meteorological spine, a brutal heatwave scorching the north, west, and centre, while the east drowns in pre-monsoon fury and the south braces for the advancing Southwest Monsoon . The India Meteorological Department has issued a sweeping set of alerts across nearly every region of the country, painting a picture of one of the most thermally and convectively volatile days of the summer season.

The Northwest bears the worst of the heat. Delhi-NCR is forecast to cross 45°C on May 20, with dry, dust-laden winds reducing afternoon visibility and making outdoor conditions dangerous and the capital is far from the extreme edge. Banda in Uttar Pradesh has been recorded as the hottest city in the country , touching 47.6°C , marking the second consecutive day it has held that grim distinction. Scorching conditions are widespread across western Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and Chhattisgarh , with temperatures crossing 43°C in several pockets. In Madhya Pradesh , 31 of 55 districts are under a heatwave warning , with temperatures expected between 42°C and 45°C across districts including Gwalior, Rewa, Ujjain, Jabalpur, Datia, and Guna.

The IMD's special press release of May 18 stated that heat wave to severe heat wave conditions are likely to prevail over the plains of northwest and central India through the week, with no meaningful relief forecast before May 22. Delhi's IMD bulletin confirms mainly clear skies, heatwave conditions at many places , and sustained surface winds gusting to 35–40 kmph through the day. States including Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi are under active heatwave warnings, while health authorities have urged the elderly, children, and outdoor workers to avoid peak afternoon hours, stay hydrated, and wear light cotton clothing.

In Bihar , the heat holds but storms are also gathering. Heavy rain and thunderstorm warnings have been issued for districts including Gaya, West Champaran, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, Purnia, Muzaffarpur, and Patna , with wind speeds expected to reach up to 70 kmph in some areas. Across 17 states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, thunderstorms and rain are forecast with gusty winds of 30 to 50 kmph. This pre-monsoon convective violence is the hallmark of the transition zone heat-laden air colliding with rising moisture.

The Northeast presents a contrasting extreme. Assam's Karimganj has already recorded 17 cm of rainfall in 24 hours , while Oodlabari Tea Estate in Jalpaiguri , West Bengal, logged 18 cm , and strong winds in Gangetic West Bengal reached 76 kmph at Kalyani and 67 kmph at Burdwan. Heavy rainfall is continuing across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram, with the region firmly in the grip of the pre-monsoon deluge.

In the South , the narrative is one of monsoon momentum . By May 18, the IMD confirmed the Southwest Monsoon had advanced into most parts of the Andaman Sea, the entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands , parts of the southeast Arabian Sea, the Comorin area, and parts of the east-central Bay of Bengal. The monsoon is expected to reach Kerala around May 26 , with the IMD noting a four-day margin of variability. Karnataka's Bengaluru has already witnessed heavy rain, waterlogging, and traffic chaos ahead of the formal monsoon onset. Meanwhile, coastal and south Indian states Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka are seeing pre-monsoon showers with lightning and gusty winds.

In Maharashtra , Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and Nashik are all under weather alerts, while Amravati in Maharashtra recorded 45.6°C on May 15, making it among the hottest recorded cities in the country this season. Gujarat remains entirely dry, with discomfort conditions due to hot and humid air persisting along the coastal areas of the Gujarat region and Saurashtra-Kutch.