Respite from Heat as Scattered Rains in Parts of North, West States Bring Down Mercury Levels

There was relief for people from scorching heat as light to moderate rains in several states in the north and west kept the mercury below normal levels on Saturday.

According to the India Meteorological Department, Wardha (Vidarbha) recorded the highest temperature in the country at 42.2 degrees Celsius.

In the national capital, a partly cloudy sky kept the mercury in check and similar conditions are expected on Sunday.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative figures for the city, recorded a maximum of 34.8 degrees Celsius against 37 degrees Celsius recorded on Friday. The maximum temperature was six notches below normal.

At 22.2 degrees Celsius, the minimum temperature was five notches below normal.

TH IMD said the maximum temperatures across the country are not expected to rise much over the next few days.

Entire country is experiencing falling tendency in temperatures except at isolated places over and Bihar where temperatures have increased by 1 degrees Celsius, it said in its daily heat wave bulletin.

There was no heatwave in Rajasthan either as light to moderate rains, triggered by a western disturbance, brought relief from the blistering heat in some parts, the meteorological (MeT) department in Jaipur said.

Bharatpur and Nohar in Hanumangarh district received the maximum rainfall -- 64 mm each -- in the 24 hours between Friday and Saturday morning.

Kota was the hottest place in the state with a maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius, the MeT department said.

Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Dabok (Udaipur) recorded their maximum temperatures at 40.8 degrees Celsius, 40.6 degrees Celsius, 38.4 degrees Celsius and 38 degrees Celsius, respectively.

In Bikaner, Churu, Jaipur and Ajmer, the mercury settled at 37 degrees Celsius, 36 degrees Celsius, 35.2 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius, respectively.

In Punjab and Haryana too, the maximum temperatures remained below normal limits, with light rains in some parts of these states over the past two days.

Their common capital Chandigarh recorded a maximum temperature of 32.8 degrees Celsius, six notches below normal.

In Haryana, Karnal recorded a high of 33 degrees Celsius, while Ambala registered a maximum of 33.6 degrees Celsius, both six notches below normal.

Hisar (36 degrees Celsius), Narnaul (35.8 degrees Celsius) and Bhiwani (35.7 degrees Celsius) recorded below-normal maximums.

In Punjab, Ludhiana, Patiala and Amritsar recorded below-normal maximums at 35.3 degrees Celsius and 34.3 degrees Celsius and 31.7 degrees Celsius, respectively.

In Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow recorded a maximum of 35.3 degrees Celsius, more than four notches below normal, as it witnessed 57.4 mm rainfall.

According to the meteorological department, rains were recorded in Kanpur (54.6 mm), Hardoi, (4.2 mm), Fursatganj (3.2 mm), Shahjahanpur (1.4 mm) and Agra (1.0 mm).

Banda was the hottest place in the state, where mercury settled at 40.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Allahabad where a maximum temperature of 40.5 degrees Celsius was recorded.

The meteorological department warned that thunderstorm accompanied with lightening and squall (up to 50-60 kmph) are very likely at isolated places over the state.

Meanwhile, in a statement issued here on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over loss of lives in lightning and thunderstorm in Mainpuri, Agra, Lakhimpur Kheri and Muzaffarnagar.

Instructions have been issued to provide Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the each of the deceased and adequate medical treatment to the injured, the statement said.

Meanwhile, private agency Skymet Weather announced on Saturday the southwest monsoon has arrived in Kerala before its onset schedule, but India's official forecaster IMD said conditions are not yet ripe for the declaration.

Skymet Weather CEO Jatin Singh said all conditions such as rainfall, Outwave Longwave Radiation (OLR) value and wind speed have been met to declare the arrival of the southwest monsoon over Kerala.

"#JUSTIN Southwest #Monsoon2020 finally arrived on the mainland of India, #Monsoon arrived on Kerala before the actual onset date. All the onset conditions including rainfall, OLR value, wind speed, are met. Finally, the 4-month long festival begins for Indian. #HappyMonsoon (sic), the private forecaster tweeted.

The onset of monsoon over Kerala marks the commencement of four-month rainy season in the country. The country receives 75 per cent of the rainfall from June to September.

Earlier, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said the monsoon will make an onset over Kerala on June 5, four days after its normal onset date.