India is in the grip of a punishing early-summer heatwave, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing warnings across multiple states as temperatures surge well past 40°C — and in several cities, the mercury climbed to those levels before 10 a.m.
What makes this year's heat exceptional is where it is concentrated: not in India's usual suspects of Delhi, Gurugram or Rajasthan, but in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Maharashtra. As per the ranking, Uttar Pradesh (UP) is on fire as nine out of top 10 hottest cities belong in UP, only Bihar's Buxar in top 10.
As afternoon temperatures peaked on Friday, AQI.in's live ranking of hottest cities showed the state holding an iron grip on the top of the chart — with Mughalsarai Railway Settlement leading the entire country at a blistering 45°C, tagged "Extreme Hot" under clear, sunny skies.
UP also accounts for the bulk of the top 25, with Varanasi, Allahabad, Mirzapur, Prayagraj, Ghazipur, Kripalu Dham Mangarh, Moradabad, Jaunpur, Unchahar, Fatehpur, Bindki, Banda, Amethi and Khairabad all recording 44°C.
Hottest Indian Cities
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- Bihar contributes Buxar and Sasaram at 44°C.
- Odisha places Balangir, Raurkela and Talcher at 44°C.
- Maharashtra's Gadchandur and Chandrapur, Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur and Masanganj,
- And Telangana's Manuguru round out the list
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The ranking also lays bare a geography of heat that defies conventional expectations. Delhi, Gurugram and Rajasthan — names most associated with Indian summer — do not feature in the top 25. It is eastern and central India, from the Gangetic plains of UP and Bihar to the forests of Odisha and Chhattisgarh, that is bearing the worst of this heatwave.
The IMD had warned that temperatures across northern and central India would run 4 to 5°C above normal, with Uttar Pradesh under severe heatwave conditions till April 26, Rajasthan on high alert till April 26, and Vidarbha in Maharashtra under an extreme heat warning till April 27.
On Friday, Agra and Prayagraj were forecast to touch 44°C, Lucknow 43°C and Kanpur 42°C, with the IMD warning that the heatwave would make it dangerous to step outdoors during the day.
Meanwhile, nights are no longer providing relief, with minimum temperatures rising steadily nationwide — meaning the body cannot recover from daytime heat stress overnight.
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Hospitals across several states are on high alert, and schools have been directed to hold water breaks every 45–60 minutes and restrict outdoor activity during peak hours.
The IMD has warned that temperatures could exceed 45°C, with certain regions potentially hitting 48°C in the coming two weeks.
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