The Indian Metrological Department (IMD) on Monday released the list of most hottest cities in India on 17 April, 2023. 

The two cities that took the top spots on the list included Murshidabad, which recorded a scorching 43 degrees, and Bankura, which boiled at 40 degrees. Notably, both cities are in West Bengal. 

Meanwhile, Delhi, which is experiencing a third consecutive day of heat wave conditions, ranked fifth on the list and shared the same maximum temperature of 40 degrees with five other cities: Bankura, Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Rajasthan’s Churu, Chandigarh and Andhra’s Vijaywada.

Delhi’s primary weather station, the Safdarjung Observatory, registered a maximum temperature of 40.6 degrees Celsius, four notches higher than normal.

Gurugram was not far behind with a maximum temperature of 39 degrees Celsius.

Mercury hovered around 40 degrees Celsius in large parts of the country on Monday as the IMD predicted heat wave conditions in parts of east India over the next four days and the northwest region over the next two days.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Gangetic West Bengal and Bihar may see heat wave conditions for four days on the trot. Sikkim, Odisha and Jharkhand may also experience such conditions over the next two to three days.

Similar conditions are expected in isolated pockets over Punjab and Haryana on Monday, and western Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. Eastern Uttar Pradesh may also be affected on April 18-19, it said.

“Cloudy weather and light rain may provide some relief from the heat in the city on Wednesday,” the IMD said.

In Maharashtra’s Navi Mumbai, at least 13 people died from heatstroke on Sunday after they attended a mega event, also attended by Amit Shah, EKnath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis. 

Other areas that observed heat-wave-like conditions include Punjab, Haryana, Bihar and Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Most parts of Haryana and Punjab today had maximum temperatures settling above 40 degrees. The mercury settled at 41.5 degrees in Hisar while in Punjab, Bathinda recorded a maximum temperature of 41.6 degrees Celsius.

Above-normal temperatures along with heat wave conditions are expected in most parts of India till May 31, threatening to lower crop production and hurting the efforts to control food costs.

Speaking to Bloomberg, climate scientist Kieran Hunt said that there are two reasons why India is experiencing frequent and severe heat waves.

“Firstly, the Indian government’s definition of a heat wave is fixed, so as background temperatures increase, less and less strong anomalies are required to surpass the heat wave definition threshold. Secondly, it does appear that the weather patterns – high pressure over north India, leading to dry, sunny, clear conditions with weak wind – associated with these anomalies are also increasing in frequency,” she said.

Earlier this month, the MeT office predicted above-normal maximum temperatures for most parts of the country from April to June, except parts of the northwest and the peninsular regions.