2024 was India’s warmest year since 1901, says Met department

” Under the influence of climate change, the temperature has been showing an increasing trend and 2024, too, continued to remain warm and has become the warmest year ever,” said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general, IMD.

Notably, the sharpest rise in the temperatures have all been recorded in the recent past. IMD’s temperature data (long period average based on 1991 – 2020) suggested that the top five warmest years have been : 2016 (0.54 degrees Celsius), 2009 (0.40 degrees Celsius), 2010 (0.39 degrees Celsius) and 2017 (0.38 degrees Celsius). Seasonally, the post monsoon (October – December) reported the sharpest jump (0.83 degrees Celsius) followed by monsoon (June – September) – 0.71 degrees Celsius in the year.

Last year, India experienced its second warmest (with respect to maximum temperature) November and the fifth warmest monsoon season since 1901.

During 2024, rainfall during the northeast monsoon was near normal, with October and December recording normal to excess rainfall over the country.

2025 is likely to begin with mostly warm days and nights over most parts of the country and it is linked with few strong cold wave conditions. However, northwest India — spanning Rajasthan, Gujarat and some parts of adjacent north Maharashtra could experience cold day conditions, when maximum temperatures during the day would remain below normal.