The anticyclonic circulation over Karnataka and adjoining Maharashtra (having moved this morning to Mumbai and neighbourhood) will drive heat wave conditions over isolated pockets of Central India across the western and eastern parts, according to an India Meteorological Department (IMD) update this (Wednesday) morning.
The national forecasting agency has said heat wave conditions may prevail over pockets of Telangana and Rayalaseema for the next four days; Madhya Maharashtra today and tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday); North Interior Karnataka for three days until Friday; and Marathwada for two days until Friday.
Hot, humid conditions
These conditions may also persist over Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh for four days from tomorrow (Thursday until Sunday); over Odisha for five days from tomorrow (Thursday to Monday); and over West Rajasthan and Jharkhand on Friday and Saturday, the IMD said.
Meanwhile, to the east and south, hot and humid conditions could drive up the heat index in isolated pockets over the plains of West Bengal and Odisha for six days from today (Wednesday to Monday); Coastal Maharashtra today and tomorrow; and coastal areas of East Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Coastal Andhra Pradesh for four days from today (until Saturday); and over Coastal Karnataka today and tomorrow.
Crosses 40℃-mark
Palakkad in Kerala witnessed temperatures reaching 40℃ twice during this week. Vishwas Chitale, Fellow at the New Delhi-based public policy think-tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), said with temperatures already crossing the threshold in many parts and the IMD forecasting above-normal heatwave days and warm nights through June, India’s extreme heat crisis needs structural solutions, not just emergency responses.
Extreme heat hazard
“Extreme heat in India is no longer just a daytime hazard; CEEW research shows that very warm nights are increasing faster than hot days, preventing the human body from recovering and significantly escalating health risks,” Chitalae told businessline. “With more than 75 per cent of the population residing in high-risk districts, we must move beyond emergency responses toward long-term structural resilience”.
Heat Action Plans require a shift to risk-informed planning that accounts for localised factors like rising humidity and urban heat islands.
Mainstreaming solutions
“We urgently need to mainstream solutions such as cool roofs, net-zero cooling shelters, and parametric insurance to protect our most vulnerable communities and outdoor workforces. Only by integrating climate data into city-level infrastructure will we be able to effectively tackle this invisible disaster and safeguard India’s public health and economic productivity,” Chitale observed.
Published on April 15, 2026