India recorded its hottest August since 1901 in 2026, with the mean temperature reaching 28.01 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday. The figure was 0.67 degrees Celsius above the normal August mean of 27.34 degrees Celsius, while the average minimum temperature also touched a record high of 24.36 degrees Celsius against the normal 23.68 degrees Celsius.
The IMD also forecast below-normal rainfall for September, with precipitation over the country as a whole expected to remain below 91 per cent of the long-period average. The LPA for September is about 167.9 mm, based on rainfall data from 1971 to 2020. The weather department further projected that average maximum temperatures during the month are likely to remain above normal.
IMD Director General of Meteorology Mrutyunjay Mohapatra attributed the prevailing weather conditions partly to moderate to strong El Nino conditions over the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific are above normal, and these conditions are expected to strengthen further in the coming months.
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August also recorded deficient rainfall across India, with the country receiving 213.3 mm, making it the seventh-lowest August rainfall total since 2001. The IMD linked the rainfall deficit partly to the El Nino conditions, which affected the broader monsoon pattern during the month.
Four low-pressure systems formed during August and collectively persisted for 26 days. However, their rainfall activity was largely concentrated over the Indo-Gangetic plains, while several other parts of the country continued to experience rainfall deficits.
The combination of record-high temperatures and deficient rainfall has made August 2026 an unusual month in India's weather history. With the IMD forecasting below-normal rainfall and above-normal maximum temperatures for September, weather conditions will remain closely monitored as the southwest monsoon season progresses.
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