‘Not normal’: On one April day, all of the planet’s top 50 hottest cities were in just one country

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🗞️ Driving the news: On April 27, every one of the world’s 50 hottest cities was located in India, according to data from air quality platform AQI, marking what experts described as an unprecedented heat event for this time of year

🔭 The context: The city of Banda in Uttar Pradesh topped the global rankings with temperatures reaching 115.16°F (46.2°C), while overnight temperatures barely dropped below 94°F
• Climatologists say the April heat wave ranks among the harshest ever recorded for the month in India, with hundreds of temperature records potentially broken
• Scientists link the worsening heat to climate change, while a developing El Niño could further intensify conditions and weaken monsoon rains later this year

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Extreme heat is one of the clearest and deadliest manifestations of climate change
• Intensifying heatwaves threaten food systems, water security, public health and economic productivity across one of the world’s most populous countries, while also testing the limits of human survivability in vulnerable regions

⏭️ What’s next: India’s meteorological agency expects above-average summer temperatures and below-average monsoon rainfall in 2026
• Experts warn the heat index in parts of central and eastern India could soon reach between 122°F and 140°F, creating highly dangerous conditions for millions of people

💬 One quote: “This is not a normal April.” — AQI, the air quality monitoring platform

📈 One stat: Average peak temperatures across the 50 hottest Indian cities reached 112.5°F (44.7°C) on April 27

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