Mercury dips in major part of country, no heat wave (Lead, national weather)

Bringing respite from the heat wave, mercury dipped in most parts of north India on Thursday, with a number of cities recording a drop in maximum temperature by two to three degrees Celsius.

However, slight rise in temperature was also recorded in some parts, including west Rajasthan, east Madhya Pradesh and east Uttar Pradesh, where over 40 degrees Celsius was recorded at isolated places.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the hottest places on Wednesday were Berhampore (Gangetic West Bengal) at 43.2 degrees and Nalgonda (Rayalaseema) that recorded 42.4 degrees Celsius.

The IMD on Thursday forecast that from June 8 to 12, there would be no heat wave across northern regions of the country.

"Temperature rose by 2 to 5 degrees Celsius at some places in Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, and at some isolated places in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and Puducherry," the IMD said on Thursday.

It further said: "One to two degrees rise in temperature was also recorded at isolated places in northeastern states, east Rajasthan, Saurashtra and Kutch, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telengana, Madhya Maharashtra and coastal Karnataka."

Overall drop in both maximum and minimum temperature was recorded across major parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Punjab, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi.

Rajasthan, which suffered the most due to heat waves till Tuesday, on Thursday recorded drop in maximum temperature by two to three degrees as compared to Wednesday.

The maximum temperature in Jaipur on Thursday was 37.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average. Jaisalmer was among the hottest, with maximum temperature at 41 degrees.

According to the IMD data, in Bihar, Patna recorded a slight rise in maximum temperature, which was recorded 32.6 degrees, four notches below the season's average, against 27.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

In Uttar Pradesh, Banda district, where mercury touched 48 degrees Celsius three days back and 39.6 degrees on Wednesday, also saw a rise on Thursday at 42.2 degree Celsius, still a notch below the season's average.

Jammu and Kashmir also saw dip in the maximum temperature. In Jammu, the maximum temperature was recorded 36.3, four notches below the season's average, and in Srinagar, the maximum temperature was 26.8, a notch below the season's average.

Temperatures across Himachal Pradesh rose marginally on Thursday, with Shimla recording 14.9 degrees minimum temperature against 11.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and a maximum of 22.3 degrees, three notches below the season's average.

The national capital also had a respite on Thursday from scorching heat, with maximum temperature dropping by two-three degrees in the past 24 hours. On Thursday, Delhi recorded 34.5 degrees against Wednesday's 37 degrees Celsius. Some parts of the national capital also witnessed rains.

According to the IMD, there are fair chances of light rain and thundershowers across north India, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and dust storm or thunderstorm with squall or hail are likely in parts of Rajasthan.

--IANS

kd/nir