Many parts of country lashed by pre-monsoon showers

New Delhi: Pre-monsoon showers in many parts of the country kept maximum temperatures within normal limits even as Banda in Uttar Pradesh sizzled at 42.2 degrees Celsius.

Delhi experienced a relatively pleasant day with the maximum being recorded at 37.2 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature was 26.4 degrees Celsius.

The humidity level oscillated between 80 and 35 per cent.

Two days after rains lashed several places in Punjab and Haryana, maximum temperatures hovered below the normal in most parts of both the states.

In Haryana, Ambala and Hisar’s maximum were 36 degrees Celsius and 39.7 degrees Celsius respectively, both three notches below their normal.

Amritsar in Punjab recorded a high of 36.8 degrees Celsius while

Ludhiana and Patiala recorded maximum temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius and 37.4 degrees Celsius respectively.

Light to moderate rains and thundershowers occurred at isolated places in Uttar Pradesh even as day temperatures rose in many parts of the state, with Banda being the hottest at 42.2 degrees Celsius.

Maharajganj received two cm rains while Aligarh and Aurraiya received one cm rainfall each, the MeT office said.

Pre-monsoon showers also lashed many parts of Rajasthan with Banswara recording maximum rainfall of 11 cm, followed by Ajmer which received 4 cm rains till this morning.

Several places in Rajsamand, Bundi, Dungapur, Pali, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur districts received 3 cm rain.

Barmer was the hottest place in the state with a maximum of 41.6 degrees Celsius, while Churu, Sriganganagar and Pilani recorded 41 degrees Celsius, 39.8 degrees Celsius and 39.1 degrees Celsius respectively.

In Odisha, rains triggered by a low pressure brought considerable respite from the long spell of heat across the state, where sunstroke has claimed 17 lives this summer.

The mercury remained below the 40-degree all over the state during the day barring Titlagarh in western Odisha which recorded a maximum temperature of 40.5 degree Celsius.

Bhubaneswar registered a high of 38 degrees Celsius while Cuttack’s maximum was 36 degrees Celsius.

Hot and humid conditions prevailed in most parts of Bihar with Bhagalpur being the hottest place in the state at 38.5 degrees Celsius.

Gaya recorded maximum temperature of 37 degrees Celsius while Purnea’s maximum was 36.5 degrees Celsius followed by Patna at 35.8 degrees Celsius.

Light to moderate rainfall occurred at many places in northeast and north central parts of the state with Bhagalpur and Purnea witnessing 0.4 and 0.6 mm rainfall respectively since yesterday.

Moderate to heavy rains also lashed many parts of Goa since yesterday marking the arrival of the southwest monsoon in the coastal state.

Tourism-related activities have already been suspended on the state’s beaches, while fishermen are barred from venturing into the sea due to rough weather conditions.

Day temperatures were above normal in parts of West Bengal, Sikkim, Saurashtra and Kutch regions where the southwest monsoon is yet to set in.

Maximum temperatures were below normal in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and interior Karnataka.

—PTI