Across East and Northeast India, the average minimum temperature touched 25.19°C in Aug, against the normal of 24.45°C. Nights were 0.74°C warmer than normal, making it the highest Aug minimum temperature recorded in the region since 1901. Daytime heat was exceptional too: the region’s average maximum settled at 32.23°C, 1.16°C above normal and the third highest for Aug since 1901
Kolkata: India experienced its warmest Aug in 2026 since nationwide record-keeping began in 1901, driven by unprecedented nighttime heat as both mean and minimum temperatures scaled new highs. For Bengal, the clearest signal unfolded after dark: East and Northeast India, of which Bengal forms a part, logged its warmest Aug night temperatures in 126 years of observations, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data. However, the regional benchmark should not be interpreted to mean that Aug 2026 was definitively Bengal’s warmest Aug on record. IMD figures released so far cover broad homogeneous regions and do not offer a separate 126-year ranking specifically for Bengal, an analysis by Climate Trends showed. Across East and Northeast India, the average minimum temperature touched 25.19°C in Aug, against the normal of 24.45°C. Nights were 0.74°C warmer than normal, making it the highest Aug minimum temperature recorded in the region since 1901. Daytime heat was exceptional too: the region’s average maximum settled at 32.23°C, 1.16°C above normal and the third highest for Aug since 1901. Nationally, the average temperature reached 28.01°C, 0.67°C above normal, while the average minimum touched 24.36°C — both record levels. Daytime temperatures averaged 31.66°C, the fourth highest since 1901, confirming that unusually warm nights pushed the nationwide monthly mean to a record. She added that as El Nino strengthens, its influence on the monsoon is evident, with India facing about a 14% rainfall deficiency, warning that 2027 could challenge 2024 as the hottest year on record.
Highlighting the broader climate crisis, Kartiki Negi, climate impacts head at Climate Trends, said: “Aug being declared the hottest Aug on record, both globally and in India, is another stark reminder of what a warmer future could look like. We need to strengthen our preparedness for the hotter, more variable seasons that lie ahead,” she said. Climate change does not cause El Nino, but it adds to the underlying heat and can amplify the impacts of an already strong El Nino. “The message is clear: we cannot prepare for the climate of the past. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolkata | Silver Rate in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata | Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Petrol Price in Kolkata | Diesel Price in Kolkata | CNG Price in Kolkata | LPG Price in Kolkata