India Experiences Unusually Cool May Amid Below-Normal Temperatures and Rainfall
Published: May 9, 2026
Large parts of India recorded significantly cooler temperatures in May 2026, with some areas 13°C below normal, defying forecasts of an intense summer. The India Meteorological Department attributed the cooling to easterly winds and repeated western disturbances bringing unseasonal rain.
India experienced unusually mild temperatures throughout May 2026, with daytime maximums in north, east, and central regions registering 8 to 13 degrees Celsius below normal. The Hardoi observatory in Uttar Pradesh recorded a maximum of 26°C on May 7, the lowest May temperature ever documented there, as cooler conditions persisted across the Indo-Gangetic plains and central India.