Rajkot recorded 40.8°C, breaking a 25-year temperature record as Gujarat faces unusually hot and largely dry conditions until Diwali, according to a report citing the weather department. The state’s rainfall deficit has reached 13% amid a strengthening El Niño pattern, while most cities are expected to remain warmer than normal through October 31.
The 40.8°C reading made Rajkot the hottest location reported in the country during the period covered by the report. The temperature was higher than readings recorded in Rajasthan’s desert areas and parts of Kutch near the desert region, highlighting the intensity of the heat across Saurashtra.
The latest reading is Rajkot’s highest in 25 years, the report said. Since 2011, the city had reached 40°C or more on several occasions, but only in 2020 did the temperature come close to this level, at 40.2°C. This year, the mercury has repeatedly crossed 40°C.
High temperatures were also recorded across Gujarat. Kandla reached 39.5°C, while Surendranagar, Bhuj, Naliya and Deesa recorded 39°C. Temperatures stood at 38°C in Keshod, Porbandar, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Vadodara and Surat. Ahmedabad and Amreli recorded 37°C.
The conditions come despite a forecast for scattered light rain or showers in parts of the state. The report said Surat received only 1-2 millimetres of rain, while no rainfall was recorded in most other areas. The weather department has also indicated the possibility of isolated light rain or showers on October 22.
For cities, the immediate effect is a longer period of heat exposure at a time when rainfall has not sufficiently reduced surface temperatures. The combination of high daytime temperatures and limited rain can affect outdoor workers, transport users and households that depend on regular water availability, although the report does not provide a city-wise assessment of these impacts.
The weather department has forecast that Gujarat will remain predominantly dry and warmer than normal until Diwali. A low-pressure area has formed over the south-west Arabian Sea, but the report said it is unlikely to have a significant effect on Gujarat. The forecast period ending October 31 remains the next key milestone for assessing whether the state receives any meaningful relief from the heat and rainfall deficit.
