India witnessed one of its most severe climate emergencies in 2026 as extreme temperatures pushed 97 Indian cities into the list of the world’s hottest urban regions.

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• Cities across Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and central India recorded extreme temperatures above 48°C during the peak 2026 heatwave conditions.
• Banda in Uttar Pradesh and Balangir in Odisha emerged among the hottest locations as dangerous daytime temperatures intensified across densely populated regions.
• Meteorologists identified a powerful heat dome system as the primary reason behind prolonged heat accumulation and continuous rise in atmospheric temperatures across northern India.
• The heat dome trapped hot air for several days while blocking rainfall, cloud formation, and cooling wind systems from entering affected regions across the country.
• Weak western disturbances during the summer season failed to provide normal cooling relief, allowing uninterrupted solar heating over the Indo-Gangetic plains and nearby regions.
• Rapid urbanisation, shrinking forests, disappearing water bodies, sand mining, and dry agricultural land significantly increased local heat retention and urban heat island effects.
• Climate experts stated that global warming and the El Nino weather phenomenon jointly intensified heatwave duration, reduced rainfall activity, and increased atmospheric instability across India.
• Extreme temperatures severely affected agriculture, electricity demand, water resources, public health, and labour productivity while increasing risks of heatstroke and dehydration among vulnerable populations.