Mercury continues upward in north India, pre-monsoon rains in Odisha

New Delhi: The mercury continued its rising trend in north India with at least six places in Rajasthan recording a maximum of 45 degrees Celsius or above even as pre-monsoon rains in Odisha kept the temperatures below 40-mark across the state except in Balangir.

While IMD in its forecast said conditions are favourable for onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala during next three days, the state MeT office in Odisha said it is expected to hit the state in the second week of this month.

The national capital reeled under heatwave conditions as the mercury soared to settle at 42.9 degrees Celsius, and high humidity caused discomfort to Delhiites.

The Safdarjung observatory recorded the maximum and minimum temperatures three notches above the season's average.

In Rajasthan, blistering heat continued to prevail in parts of the state with at least six places recording a maximum of 45 degrees Celsius or above.

Phalodi and Sriganganagar were the hottest place in the state at a maximum of 46.5 degrees Celsius each.

Churu, Kota, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaipur recorded their maximums at 46.3, 45.8, 45.2, 45 and 44.6 degrees Celsius respectively.

In Uttar Pradesh, heatwave conditions continued with Jhansi recording a maximum of 44.7 degrees Celsius. The day temperature rose appreciably in Faizabad, Gorakhpur divisions and changed little in the remaining parts.

Heatwave conditions in Punjab and Haryana intensified, with Hisar sizzling at 45 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, and up a notch compared to yesterday's maximum.

Chandigarh also experienced a hot day recording a high of 42.8 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal limits, a MeT Department official there said.

In Punjab, sweltering conditions prevailed in Ludhiana at 44.6 degrees Celsius, up by four notches against normal.

In Bihar, scorching sun and intense humidity hit Patna, which recorded a maximum of 39.2, and other parts of the state but there is chance of rain in several parts of the state during next four days.

In Odisha, pre-monsoon rains were experienced in coastal and interior parts, bringing the temperature below 40 across the state except Balangir, which recorded 40 degrees Celsius.

Capital city of Bhubaneswar which received 57.7 mm precipitation recorded a maximum of 32.8 degrees Celsius.

According to IMD regional director Sarat Chandra Sahu, south-west Monsoon is expected to hit the state by the second week of this month.

West Bengal is also likely to get rains accompanied by thundershowers in most of the places over the next five days, according to the MeT officials there.

A spell of rain in the noon hours in Kolkata brought relief to the people with the maximum temperature at 33.8 degrees Celsius, two notches less than normal.