For the first time in five years, Himachal Pradesh records severe heatwave in the first week of March

The unusually early and intense heatwave suggests possible changes in the timing and pattern of extreme heat in Himalayan regions. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature at a station is 4.5°C to 6.4°C above the normal for that location. A severe heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature exceeds the normal by more than 6.4°C.

On March 6, 2026, the maximum temperatures across the state were 8–12°C above normal. Minimum temperatures exceeded the normal by 5°C or more, IMD reported.

In India, heatwaves usually begin in the coastal states. Over the last two years, even these regions are witnessing early onset of abnormally high temperatures.

The ‘Konkan and Goa’ meteorological subdivision of IMD, for instance, witnessed an unusually early heatwave in 2025 that began on February 25 — the earliest such event during the winter season. In 2026, this region, which includes the entire state of Goa and the coastal districts of Maharashtra, reported the country’s first heatwave on March 5, just a day before Himachal Pradesh experienced ‘heatwave’ to ‘severe heatwave’ conditions.

In the coastal areas of Saurashtra-Kutch in Gujarat, heatwaves began on March 11 in 2022 and March 21 in 2024 at isolated pockets.

Down To Earth has been tracking extreme weather events, including heatwaves, since 2022 and manages India’s interactive database on extreme weather events. 

The analysis based on this database showed that in three of the past five years — 2022, 2024 and 2025 — the first heatwave of the country occurred in the country’s west coastal parts in Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra, which fall under the ‘central region’ in the IMD’s regional classification.

In 2023, the first heatwave occured on March 3 in coastal Karnataka, which belongs to the South Peninsula region. This was followed by Goa on March 8 and Gujarat on March 11.

In 2026, the South Peninsula region once again witnessed early heatwaves, starting with coastal Andhra Pradesh on March 8 — the earliest in five years.

The first heatwave in the state was recorded on June 8 in 2022, April 14 in 2023 and April 4 in 2024, while no heatwave was reported in 2025.

First heatwave in Andhra Pradesh (2022–2026)