IMD weather update 2025: Warning of record-breaking March heat and more

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that March will be one of the warmest months in India this year, with above-average temperatures predicted to last for most of the month

According to two officials from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), India is set to witness one of the warmest March months on record, with above-average temperatures predicted to last for most of the month. The expert went on to say that the mature wheat crop is seriously threatened by this exceptional heat, which could lower yields.

 

Apart from this, an approaching western disturbance is predicted to cause rainfall in the northern Indian regions. During the period between February 27 and March 1, rainfall is also anticipated in Delhi's neighboring states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana. The IMD has forecasted a thunderstorm and rain for Delhi on Friday as well, with a one-degree Celsius drop in the minimum temperature.

2025 IMD weather update: Official statement

Before the department's official forecast, which is scheduled for release on Friday, a senior IMD official told Reuters on the condition of anonymity, “March is likely to be unusually hot this year, with both daytime and nighttime temperatures expected to remain above normal for much of the month".

 

According to the official, daytime temperatures are predicted to start increasing in the second week of March, with maximum temperatures in many states predicted to surpass 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) by the end of the month.

IMD weather forecast 2025: Insights 

The weather on the west coast has been hot and humid, particularly in the areas of Goa and coastal Maharashtra. Mumbai is under a heatwave warning for February 25 and 26, according to the IMD. Mumbai's maximum temperature on February 26 was 38.7°C, 5.9 degrees higher than the average, according to the Climate Trends report from a research-based environmental and climate change consulting organization. 

 

Heat waves with temperatures above 37 degrees Celsius have also been reported in a few other areas of Goa and Coastal Maharashtra. The coastal regions of Gujarat and Karnataka also saw hot and sultry weather, with temperatures hovering between 35°C and 37°C, barely below the heatwave threshold.

 

Heat waves usually last from March to June, and they can occasionally last into July. When the highest temperature departure is 4.5°C or more, coastal stations in India are considered to be in a heatwave. Even if the heatwave passes, the nation's main weather agency, IMD, has forecast that hot and humid weather will continue for the following few days. Meteorologists say that the rain-deficient winter is to blame for the current hot and humid weather.

IMD weather 2025: Unusual heat waves can harm crops

After three consecutive years of poor harvests since 2022, India, the second-largest producer of wheat in the world, is expecting an ample production in 2025 to avoid the need for costly imports. But too much heat can result in reduced yields for the fourth year in a row.

 

India was forced to restrict wheat exports to safeguard the domestic supply after a sharp heatwave in February and March devastated wheat fields. According to the second IMD official, starting in mid-March, temperatures in wheat-producing states in northern and central India are expected to rise sharply, possibly reaching 6 degrees Celsius over average.

 

Due to tightening supplies, domestic wheat prices have already reached all-time highs this month due to persistent heat concerns. According to a trader with a worldwide trading organization based in New Delhi, "February was unusually warm, and if March turns out to be even hotter, wheat production could take a significant hit".