UP Heatwave Alert: Mercury Crosses 35°C in March’s First Week, Hottest Start in 3 Years

Lucknow, March 7 (TNA) Heat conditions are intensifying rapidly across Uttar Pradesh, with temperatures crossing 35 degrees Celsius in the first week of March, three years after a similar early surge. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that the mercury could touch 40 degrees this month, forecasting above-normal temperatures across most parts of India from March to May 2026.

In stark contrast to 2025, when daytime highs in UP cities ranged between 29-31°C and nighttime lows between 14-19°C during the first week of March, this year started much hotter. On March 1, 2026, the maximum temperature hit a record 32.5°C—the highest first-day March reading in three years, surpassing 2023’s 32°C mark.

IMD data underscores this unusual trend, with other recent years showing lower March 1 readings, prompting advisories for heatwave preparedness amid shifting climate patterns.