August Heat Ranks Among Highest in 125 Years as Weak Monsoon, El Niño Take Toll

India recorded an unusually hot August 2026, with temperatures ranking among the highest since records began in 1901, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The country’s average temperature was 28.01°C, around 0.67°C above normal.

The biggest concern was nighttime heat. The average minimum temperature reached 24.36°C, the highest for August since 1901, while the average maximum temperature stood at 31.66°C, the fourth-highest on record.

The heat was linked to below-normal and uneven monsoon rainfall, with El Niño conditions also influencing the weather pattern. India received about 14% less rainfall than normal between June 4 and August 31, while August rainfall was over 16% below normal.

The IMD expects the weak monsoon trend to continue into September, forecasting rainfall around 91% of the Long Period Average (LPA). However, a low-pressure area over the northern Bay of Bengal and adjoining regions could bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to parts of several states, including Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Odisha