19 of the world's 20 hottest cities today are in India. Is your city on the list?

India is currently at the epicentre of a global heat surge, with 19 of the world’s 20 hottest locations recorded within the country, according to data released by AQI.in on April 21 at 12:21 pm IST.

The weather office has said heatwave conditions are likely to persist from April 22 to April 24, with maximum temperatures expected to rise further, reaching up to 43 degrees Celsius during this period.

A heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature crosses 40 degrees Celsius.

WHICH IS THE HOTTEST CITY IN THE WORLD TODAY?

The list is dominated by cities across Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, where temperatures have soared to extreme levels, touching 44 degrees Celsius in several places.

Bhagalpur in Bihar, Talcher in Odisha, and Asansol in West Bengal topped the list, each recording 44 degrees Celsius.

Close behind were multiple cities across Bihar, including Begusarai, Motihari, Munger, Bhojpur, and Siwan, along with parts of West Bengal and eastern Uttar Pradesh, all reporting temperatures of 43 degrees Celsius. The only non-Indian location in the top 20 was Lumbini in Nepal.

HERE IS THE LIST OF 20 HOTTEST CITIES IN THE WORLD TODAY

The widespread and simultaneous spike in temperatures across north, central, and eastern India signals a larger atmospheric pattern at play rather than isolated regional heatwaves.

Meteorologists point to a combination of factors driving this extreme heat. One of the primary reasons is intense solar heating over land, which has rapidly increased surface temperatures during April, a month that is already considered a pre-monsoon heat period.

Clear skies across much of northern and central India have allowed uninterrupted solar radiation, further amplifying the heat.

Another critical factor is the deficit in winter snow cover across Eurasia and the Himalayas. Reduced snow means less sunlight is reflected back into space, leading to enhanced warming over the Indian subcontinent. This has accelerated the onset and intensity of heatwave conditions this year.

Additionally, changing ocean patterns are playing a role. Rising sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean and a transition towards ENSO-neutral conditions are influencing atmospheric circulation.

This has weakened systems that typically bring cooling effects, allowing heat to build up over large land areas.

The situation is being worsened by dry northwesterly winds sweeping across the plains, which suppress cloud formation and reduce chances of rainfall. In contrast, parts of southern and northeastern India are seeing moisture influx and thunderstorms, highlighting a stark divide in weather patterns across the country.

Experts warn that such clustering of extreme temperatures is a sign of increasing climate variability. With more than half of the world’s hottest cities now in India, the trend points to the growing intensity and frequency of heatwaves.

As April progresses, the coming weeks are expected to remain challenging, with heat stress likely to persist across large parts of the country before any significant pre-monsoon relief sets in.