India Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata
Summary
The past month was particularly warm for India, ranking as the 6th warmest July in 87 years of records with an average temperature of 27.33°C, 1.1°C above the 1961-1990 baseline. The period was defined by extreme monsoon volatility across the subcontinent, where erratic downpours triggered devastating flash floods and landslides that killed over 100 people and displaced thousands, even as large swathes of the country experienced prolonged dry spells. Over the tropical Pacific Ocean, a moderate El Niño is currently active and intensifying, with climate models forecasting an 81% probability of it peaking at Very Strong in Oct-Dec. These shifting atmospheric drivers indicate that erratic rainfall and elevated thermal stress are likely to persist across the region through the remainder of the monsoon season.
This month in numbers
India recorded an average temperature of 27.33°C in July 2026, sitting 1.1°C above the long-term baseline and ranking 6th warmest on record for the month since 1940. Taking the wider season into account, the May to July period averaged 28.67°C (+0.8°C anomaly), which ranks as the 9th warmest three-month stretch on record. On the global stage, land temperatures reached historic levels, with the global land average for July 2026 reaching 15.8°C (+1.6°C anomaly) to rank as the 3rd warmest on record globally. For the broader window spanning May to July, the global land temperature average reached 14.34°C (+1.5°C anomaly), the 2nd warmest on record.
What changed
The latest three-month average continues a persistent warming trend across South Asia, building on elevated temperatures observed throughout the spring and early summer months. India's overall long-term warming trend stands at +0.69°C above the 1961-1990 baseline, with recent years consistently ranking among the warmest on record. In international comparison, India ranked 173rd of 232 tracked regions for its one-month temperature anomaly and 204th for its three-month anomaly, running 0.47°C cooler than the broader Asian regional average for the month.
What’s driving change?
The erratic distribution of monsoon rainfall and high temperatures across India is heavily influenced by , as global atmospheric warming interacts with tropical sea surface temperatures. Pacific Ocean circulation is currently dominated by a moderate El Niño, tracked on our live page at ENSO, which historically reduces southwest monsoon rainfall reliability across India in roughly 60% of cases and leads to localised rain deficits interspersed with severe downpours. On a regional scale, heavy monsoonal deluges brought major flooding to states like Assam. All of India's 1 flood event recorded on our tracker this year occurred in the past month, which is monitored on our live map at Extreme Weather tracker. In addition, , amplifying surface heat during dry breaks between rain systems.
Looking ahead
Seasonal climate forecasts indicate that monsoon variability and above-average temperatures are likely to persist through autumn, with an 81% probability that the active El Niño will reach Very Strong intensity between October and December.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – India
Köppen Cwa · TemperateIndia has a temperate climate (Köppen Cwa: Humid subtropical (dry winter)), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. May is typically the warmest month, averaging 29.4°C, while January is the coldest at 16.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1203mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly precipitation.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – India
Right axis: everything else standardized to standard deviations (σ) from its own average, since mm/hours/days aren't directly comparable to °C or to each other.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – India
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI heatwave measure: days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – India
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – India
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – India
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Cwa · TemperateIndia has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±6.3°C) and a wet/dry cycle (23× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly precipitation climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: May (+25 mm, +43%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Climate Systems
Loading ENSO tracker…
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for India
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in India changing?
India is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in India?
India has a temperate climate (Köppen Cwa: Humid subtropical (dry winter)), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. May is typically the warmest month, averaging 29.4°C, while January is the coldest at 16.8°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1203mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Where does the climate data for India come from?
Climate data for India comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the India climate data cover?
The India climate profile covers Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and surrounding areas. Extreme heat, monsoon shifts and the fastest-growing energy market
How often is the India climate update refreshed?
The India climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the India climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the India climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.