No let up in heatwave conditions in north, east India amid scanty pre-monsoon showers

There was no let up in heatwave in northern and eastern India due to deficient pre-monsoon showers and conditions look to remain the same till the weekend when rain is likely in some parts.

The mercury crossed the 45-degree mark at some places in Delhi, which is the only 100 per cent rain-deficient "state" in the country.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides official figures for the city, recorded a high of 43.7 degrees Celsius and a low of 29.6 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels oscillated between 16 and 50 per cent, the weatherman said.

The weather stations at Palam, Sports Complex, Delhi Ridge and Ayanagar recorded the mercury at 45.2, 45.1, 44.8 and 44.4 degrees Celsius.

The city has recorded nil rainfall from June 1 to June 14, according to India Meteorological Department data. Normally, the city would record 15 mm of rainfall in the first two weeks of June.

At 39.6 degrees Celsius, Kolkata recorded its highest temperature of the year. Besides, the humid conditions caused immense discomfort to the people in the city and other south Bengal districts and is likely to continue, the weatherman said.

Asansol was the hottest place in the state at 41.2 degrees Celsius, while Midnapore, Bankura and Sriniketan recorded above 40 degrees Celsius temperature.

After a day's respite, heatwave gained steam again in Odisha with the temperature jumping above 40 degrees Celsius in at least 11 places.

The temperature in state capital Bhubaneswar jumped to 38.1 degrees Celsius from 34.7 degrees recorded on Thursday. What made the weather unbearable in the city was a high level of relative humidity at 92 per cent, weather officials said.

In neighbouring Cuttack, the maximum temperature soared to 39.2 degrees Celsius, up from 36 degrees measured on Thursday.

Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow witnessed clear sky during the day, even as the meteorological department forecast that rain accompanied by thunderstorm is very likely at isolated places in the state.

Banda was the hottest place in the state, where maximum temperature rose to 45 degrees Celsius, followed by Etawah, which recorded a high of 44.8 degrees Celsius.

Allahabad saw mercury touching 44.7 degrees Celsius.

There was no relief from the heatwave conditions in Rajasthan as well with Sri Ganganagar recording a maximum temperature of 45.8 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature in Churu was 45.6 degrees Celsius followed by 43.5 degrees Celsius in Bikaner, 42.1 degrees Celsius in Kota, 41 degrees Celsius in Jaisalmer and 40.3 degrees Celsius in Jodhpur, it said.

There was light rain in some areas of the state. The weatherman has forecast dust storm or thunderstorm at isolated places in the state in the next 48 hours.

In most parts of Himachal Pradesh heratwave conditions continued as the maximum temperature increased up to two degrees Celsius.

Una continued to be the hottest place in the state at 43 degrees Celsius, the Meteorological Department said.

The maximum temperature in Bilaspur was 40.2 degrees Celsius, followed by 39.7 in Hamirpur, 38.9 in Kangra, 38.3 in Mandi, 38.1 in Sundernagar, and 35.9 degrees Celsius in Chamba.

State capital Shimla recorded a high of 28.5 degrees Celsius, Manali 27.8 degrees Celsius, Dalhousie 23.3 degrees Celsius and Kufri 20.4 degrees Celsius.

Temperatures in Haryana and Punjab were the above normal limits with Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, recording a maximum of 41.8 degree Celsius.

Hisar in Haryana registered a high of 43.2 degrees Celsius, up two notches while Ambala's maximum settled at 42.8 degrees Celsius, four degrees above normal.

Patiala in Punjab registered a maximum of 43.6 degrees Celsius and Ludhiana recorded a high of 42.7 degrees Celsius. Amritsar recorded 43 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, a senior official said cyclone Vayu is likely to recurve and hit the Kutch coast of Gujarat.

It is likely to recurve on June 16 and hit Kutch between June 17-18, M Rajeevan, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, told PTI.

The intensity of the cyclone is likely to get reduced, Rajeevan said, adding that it may hit the coast as a cyclonic storm or a deep depression.