India braces for hotter-than-normal summer, more heatwave days expected

India will experience a hotter-than-normal summer this year, with heatwave days in March and May expected to exceed the seasonal average, the weather office said on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) director general Mrutyunjay ⁠Mohapatra said that in March, the first month of the summer season, minimum temperatures are likely to remain above average in most regions.

According to IMD data, both maximum and minimum temperatures in February were above average, making it the fifth warmest February since records began in 1901.

Winter crops such as wheat, rapeseed and chickpeas are planted from October to December and require cold weather conditions throughout their growth cycle for optimum yields. A Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading body said above-average temperatures in March could affect the grain size of maturing winter-sown crops, potentially reducing yields.

Also read| Heat Index: How stressed are you? infographics

India, the world’s second-largest wheat producer and largest importer of edible oils, is counting on bumper crops in 2026 to export excess wheat and reduce imports of expensive palm, soybean and sunflower oil.

“Above-normal heatwave days are expected in most parts of the country from March to May 2026,” Mr. Weiger said. Mohapatra.