Dusty conditions bring down temperatures in Haryana, Punjab

Dusty and overcast conditions on Tuesday gave a break to people in Haryana and Punjab from the heat wave that has gripped them over the past one week.

Compared to the sweltering heat on Monday when Harayana's Hisar town recorded a high of 45.5 degrees Celsius and Punjab's industrial city of Ludhiana saw a high of 44.3 degrees, both places now recorded highs of 41.5 and 37.6 degrees respectively.

Heat wave conditions had intensified in Punjab and Haryana on Monday with most places in both states recording maximum temperatures of over 42 degrees Celsius.

On Tuesday, Chandigarh recorded a high of 37.5 degrees, compared to 42.7 degrees on Monday.

Ambala city in Haryana recorded maximum temperature of 36.4 degrees, compared to 43.7 degrees on Monday.

Amritsar in Punjab, which recorded 43.4 degrees on Monday, was cooler at 37 degrees.

Met officials predicted squalls and thunderstorms in some parts of the region in the next 60 hours.

Residents in Chandigarh and surrounding areas experienced ash-like residues in the air and on vehicles.

"This could be the ash from forest fires in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh," said Chandigarh resident Saurabh.

--IANS

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