If stepping outside lately has felt like walking into a giant oven, there’s a reason the word “Nautapa” is suddenly everywhere again.Every year, as temperatures soar across North and Central India between late May and early June, the traditional term resurfaces to describe what is widely considered the harshest stretch of summer before the monsoon arrives. This year, Nautapa is expected to run from May 25 to June 2, bringing intense heatwave conditions, dry winds and soaring daytime temperatures across several states.The timing is especially concerning this year as Nautapa coincides with the lingering effects of a powerful “super El Nino” phase that has pushed global temperatures sharply higher. El Nino refers to the warming of surface waters in the tropical Pacific Ocean, a climate phenomenon that disrupts weather patterns worldwide and often leads to hotter summers in India. Scientists say the recent episode became unusually intense as sea temperatures in key Pacific regions surged rapidly, with some forecasts projecting anomalies of more than 2.5°C above normal.Also Read: India dominates World's 100 Hottest Cities list for second week in a row; check all namesAccording to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), unusually warm ocean waters and weakening trade winds helped create conditions for an exceptionally strong El Niño event, contributing to prolonged and more severe heatwaves across parts of Asia.The scale of India’s ongoing heatwave has also become visible in global temperature rankings. Live global temperature rankings agency AQI this week showed an extraordinary concentration of Indian cities among the world’s 100 hottest locations. As of May 22, live data showed 97 of the world’s 100 hottest cities were in India, while only three were from Nepal. Cities across Odisha, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh featured prominently in the rankings as temperatures crossed 40°C in several regions.Also Read: Beating the Heat: India’s data centre dream and the 50°C reality in its pathThe strongest impact of Nautapa is usually felt across northern and central India, particularly in states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh. According to forecasts, temperatures during this period can hover between 40°C and 46°C in several regions, with isolated heatwave alerts likely across northwest India as dry winds and intense solar heating continue before the monsoon arrives.