An Unusual Heat Wave Strains the World’s Most Populous Country
Key takeaways
- As an unusual early-season heat wave gripped the country, average peak temperatures across the most sweltering cities hit around 112 degrees Fahrenheit on April 27, data from the company AQI revealed.
- In Banda, the northern India city that topped the heat list, the coolest it got that day was 94.5 degrees.
- Temperatures have marginally decreased since, though peak temperatures are still nearing or exceeding 100 degrees in many areas.
Why this matters: environmental and climate reporting with long-term consequences.
May 12, 2026 Share This Article Republish Late April temperatures exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit in many areas of India. Credit: Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Related Drought Turns Southeastern US Into ‘Tinderbox’ as Wildfires Rage This Growing Climate Threat Could Be Increasing Your Blood Pressure ‘Heat Batteries’ Leave Some City Blocks Scorched Share This Article Republish Most Popular Plugging Away at the Millions of Derelict Oil and Gas Wells in the US $370 Million Payout US Senators Investigate $370 Million IRS Payout to Cheniere Energy Every one of the world’s 50 hottest cities was located inside India at the end of April—a global weather-tracking anomaly, according to a major air-quality monitoring platform.
As an unusual early-season heat wave gripped the country, average peak temperatures across the most sweltering cities hit around 112 degrees Fahrenheit on April 27, data from the company AQI revealed.
In Banda, the northern India city that topped the heat list, the coolest it got that day was 94.5 degrees.