For most Indians May usually means scorching heat, sweaty afternoons and temperatures touching 40 to 45 degrees Celsius but May 2026 has surprised many people across the country including Punjab as instead of severe heat several states have witnessed cloudy skies, rain, thunderstorms and unusually cool weather and in some places as per reports temperatures have dropped so much that people are comparing the weather to March instead of peak summer.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) many parts of north, east and central India have recorded daytime temperatures nearly 8 to 13 degrees Celsius below normal this month and one of the biggest examples came from Uttar Pradesh’s Hardoi district where the maximum temperature on May 7 was just 26 degrees Celsius making it the lowest May temperature ever recorded there.
Punjab has also been witnessing changing weather conditions including rainfall, thunderstorms, gusty winds and cooler temperatures and the IMD has predicted that India may receive more than 110% of the Long Period Average (LPA) rainfall during May 2026 where normally India receives around 64.1 mm rainfall in May based on data from 1971 to 2020 while this year however rainfall is expected to remain above normal in several regions including northwest India and Punjab.
So why is India seeing rain and cool weather during a month that is usually known for extreme heat? Well weather experts say the biggest reason behind this unusual weather pattern is repeated arrival of western disturbances along with strong easterly winds.
Western disturbances are weather systems that usually form over the Mediterranean region and move towards India through Pakistan and Afghanistan and these systems bring clouds, rain and thunderstorms especially to northern parts of India while western disturbances are common during winter months this year they have remained active even during late April and May as well and because of these repeated disturbances hot air has not been able to dominate for long periods. Every few days rain and cloud cover have interrupted the heatwave conditions and this is why temperatures have stayed lower than expected in many states.
At the same time easterly winds carrying moisture from the Bay of Bengal have also played a major role as these winds help increase humidity and cloud formation especially during mornings and evenings stopping temperatures from rising sharply.
Earlier this year many experts had warned that India could witness an intense summer in 2026 and in March and April temperatures in some parts of western and central India had already started touching nearly 45 degrees Celsius raising fears of severe heatwaves and the IMD had also predicted above normal heatwave days between March and May however the constant rain activity changed the situation completely.
In Punjab the impact has been clearly visible as many districts have witnessed sudden rain spells, thunderstorms and strong winds during the first week of May and according to the IMD such pre monsoon weather activity is likely to continue in parts of northwest India while the department has also warned people to stay alert during thunderstorms and lightning activity and for farmers this unusual weather may bring both benefits and challenges.
The positive side is that cooler temperatures brought relief from extreme daytime heat reducing stress for people working outdoors but too much untimely rainfall can also create problems as strong winds and thunderstorms may damage standing crops, vegetables and fruit orchards in some areas while sudden weather changes can also affect harvesting and transportation.
Experts also point out that even though daytime temperatures are lower nights are still warmer than usual in many parts of the country and this means the atmosphere is still holding heat which can increase humidity and discomfort levels especially in the coming days.
Another important factor being discussed globally is the possible development of El Niño conditions. El Niño is a climate pattern linked to warming ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean and it can affect India’s monsoon, delay rainfall progression and sometimes extend hot weather conditions later into the year while the current cool spell has reduced heat temporarily scientists say it does not mean climate change has slowed down in fact long term climate trends still show that Indian summers are becoming hotter and more extreme overall.
Weather experts explain that short term systems like western disturbances can temporarily cool temperatures but the larger climate trend continues to point towards rising heat levels in the future but for now however many people across Punjab and other states are enjoying an unusually pleasant May something rarely seen during the peak summer season in India.