Rainfall eludes north; Ganga starts receding in UP

Maximum temperatures hovered around normal in northern India today as the region remained without rainfall while the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh started receding at a few places after being driven above danger levels by this year's heavy monsoon in the state.
In Delhi, where conditions were bright and sunny and the sky remained clear, the maximum was recorded a notch above normal at 35.5 degrees Celsius.
The minimum was 25.8 degrees in the national capital while humidity in air fluctuated between 49 and 73 per cent after remaining in the 90s for much of last week.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Ganga showed signs of receding at Ballia and Ghazipur although other major rivers in the state continued to flow above the danger mark.

The Ganga, was flowing 2.075m and .765m above the red mark at Ballia and Ghazipur, respectively, but the water levels had started declining, the relief commissioner's office said here. The river was, however, rising at Kanpur.
The Sharda at Palia Kalan, Ghaghra at Turtipar, Budhi Rapti at Kakrahi and Quano at Gonda were still flowing above the red mark, the commissioner's office added.

Light to moderate rainfall and thundershowers occurred at isolated places in eastern UP with the conditions remaining largely dry in the rest of the state. Local weather officials said that Gorakhpur received 20mm rainfall followed by Domariyaganj (10mm).

The mercury in the two neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana continued to hover a few notches above normal today.
In Haryana, Ambala and Hisar recorded highs of 33.5 and 35.5 degrees, respectively.
Amritsar in Punjab saw the mercury settle at 35.2 degrees followed by Patiala (34.4) and Ludhiana (33.6).
The Union Territory and common capital of Chandigarh recorded a high of 34.5 degrees.
Himachal Pradesh, too, saw conditions remaining mostly dry as the monsoon weakened further in the state.
Local MeT officials said that the minimum dropped by a few notches in the tribal areas and higher reaches of the state.

Maximum temperatures, however, remained steady with Una recording a high of 35 degrees followed by Sundernagar (32.1) and Bhuntar (32).