Delhi is in for another punishing day, but a brief reprieve may arrive by evening. The India Meteorological Department's latest bulletin shows clear skies through the morning giving way to partly cloudy conditions by afternoon, with very light rain, thunderstorms, lightning, dust storms and strong surface winds possible later in the day. Heatwave conditions, however, will remain in place.

What Delhi can expect this week

Temperatures in the capital are set to climb further before any meaningful relief arrives. "Rise in maximum temperatures by 1-2°C during next 24 hours, no large change till 27th May 2026 and fall by 6-8°C thereafter. Rise in minimum temperatures by 2-3°C during next 24 hours, no large change till 29th May 2026 and fall by 4-5°C thereafter," IMD said.

Delhi's yellow warning remains in place until May 27. Severe heatwave conditions are expected in some pockets of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi between May 25 and May 27, with heat wave alerts continuing until May 28.

Red and orange alerts across India

Brahmapuri in Maharashtra recorded the highest maximum temperature in the country on Sunday, 47.2 degrees Celsius. Nearly 29 weather monitoring stations recorded maximum temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. In Delhi, the Ayanagar and Ridge stations recorded a high of 44.6 degrees Celsius.

The IMD has issued red alerts, indicating severe heatwave conditions for parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra for May 25. Multiple states are on orange alert: Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Karnataka.

The agency has warned that severe heatwave conditions are expected to continue across Central and Northwest India until May 31, and across East and adjoining Peninsular India until May 27 to 29. "Reduction in maximum temperatures likely from 29th May onwards," IMD said.

State-wise heatwave outlook

The alerts span a wide geography through the coming week. Severe heatwave conditions are expected in isolated pockets of West Rajasthan until May 30, Madhya Pradesh until May 28, Vidarbha until May 27, Uttar Pradesh until May 26, and Bihar, Jharkhand and Telangana until May 26. Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are also in the warning zone from May 26 onwards. Warm night conditions are expected in parts of East Uttar Pradesh and Vidarbha through May 25 and May 26.

Residents of Punjab may see maximum temperatures rise by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius until May 26, while no significant change is expected across the rest of the country in the near term.

Monsoon watch

Amid the heat, the southwest monsoon is making its presence felt in the south. The IMD has predicted isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over Kerala and Lakshadweep, Tamil Nadu, and Northeast and adjoining East India over the next four to five days, a signal that the monsoon's northward advance is underway, even as northern and central India swelter through its most intense phase.

Published on: May 25, 2026 8:08 AM IST