Overview
- Maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to be below normal across most of India in January, according to the IMD.
- Above-average cold-wave days are forecast for central and eastern belts, including Vidarbha, Marathwada, Madhya Pradesh, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
- Rainfall over northwest India is likely to be below normal for January to March, though January rainfall is projected to be near normal nationally.
- Some parts of northwest and northeast India may see normal to above-normal January temperatures, offering limited relief from severe cold.
- Cooler conditions could support rabi crop yields, with winter sowing at 61.4 million hectares, set against an exceptionally dry December and a longer-term warming trend that made 2025 the eighth warmest year.