Rajkot recorded 40.8 degrees Celsius on October 21, breaking a 25-year heat record as Gujarat’s major cities continued to experience unusually high temperatures and limited rainfall, according to Gujarat Samachar – Ahmedabad.
The report said Rajkot recorded the highest temperature in the country that day, exceeding readings from Rajasthan’s desert region and areas near the Kutch desert. The city’s temperature has crossed 40 degrees Celsius repeatedly this year, with only 2020 recording a comparable reading of 40.2 degrees Celsius since 2011, it said.
The heat has spread across Gujarat. Kandla recorded 39.5 degrees Celsius, while Surendranagar, Bhuj, Naliya and Deesa recorded 39 degrees. Temperatures reached 38 degrees in Keshod, Porbandar, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Vadodara and Surat. Ahmedabad and Amreli recorded 37 degrees Celsius, according to the report.
The weather department has forecast that temperatures will remain above normal and conditions will stay largely dry until Diwali. The forecast covers the period up to October 31, during which rainfall is expected to remain substantially below normal. The report said India’s overall rainfall deficit had reached 13 percent amid strengthening El Nino conditions.
The rainfall forecast has so far produced little measurable precipitation in most parts of the state. Surat received only light showers of about 1 to 2 millimetres, while no rainfall was recorded in the other areas mentioned in the report. Isolated light rain or showers were forecast for October 22, but the broader outlook for Gujarat remains dry.
A low-pressure area has formed over the south-west Arabian Sea, but the report said it is unlikely to have a significant impact on Gujarat. As a result, the state’s cities are expected to continue facing higher-than-normal heat during a period when residents would typically expect more settled post-monsoon conditions.
The unusual temperatures place renewed attention on how Gujarat’s urban areas manage heat outside the traditional summer season. The reported readings cover cities with different geographical settings, from coastal Kandla and Surat to inland Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Vadodara. However, the available report does not provide city-level advisories, heat-health measures or instructions from municipal authorities.
The weather department’s immediate forecast is for isolated light showers on October 22, followed by generally dry and warmer-than-normal conditions through October 31. Further updates will determine whether the rainfall deficit and elevated temperatures persist across Gujarat.
