Heat wave in north India to end, respite round the corner

Representational Image/ courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: Even as most parts of north India, especially Rajasthan, continued to battle heat wave conditions for the third day in succession, the weatherman called Tuesday the last day of suffering and forecast that respite was round the corner. The mercury fell by two degrees in the national capital and by at least four degrees in most parts of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. The mercury is likely to fall further with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting rain and thundershowers for Delhi and NCR till June 8-9. According to the IMD, as the temperature marginally dropped in the national capital and regions around it on Tuesday, the heat wave abated in most parts of Rajasthan. The maximum temperature recorded during the day in Jaipur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer, which had been reeling under intense heat wave for the last couple of days, hovered around 41.2 to 41.7 degrees Celsius, against 44 to 47 degrees Celsius since Sunday. Temperature across Himachal Pradesh also fell slightly on Tuesday, with state capital Shimla recording a high of 28.3 degrees against Monday's 29.6 degrees Celsius. The national capital, which saw heat waves on Sunday and Monday, recorded a rise in the minimum temperature on Tuesday at 34.2 degrees, seven notches above the season's average. However, there was a drop in the maximum temperature. "The maximum temperature in Delhi was 43 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season's average. The highest temperature was recorded in the Ridge area at 44.2 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season's average," said an IMD official. On Monday, the average maximum temperature was recorded at 44.6 degrees, five notches above the season's average, while some parts like Palam saw 46 degrees," he said. According to weather experts, the drop in temperature is attributed to change in winds entering Rajasthan and subsequently reaching the national capital. "Earlier, winds were coming from the western region, which is central Pakistan. Now the direction has changed and humid and cooler wind from Arabian sea has entered Rajasthan and Gujarat, due to which temperature has dropped. These winds are reaching Delhi and will lead to drop in the maximum temperature here," Mahesh Palawat, Director of private weather forecaster Skymet, told IANS. According to Skymet, this is likely to be the last round of heat wave in northern India, including the national capital, and after this phase, the maximum temperature will hover around 40 degrees. The intense heat wave conditions in parts of Uttar Pradesh on Monday claimed 10 lives. Besides, the number of patients with heat stroke conditions, diarrhoea, vomiting and high fever has increased in hospitals across the state. Bundelkhand is the worst hit, with mercury logging an average of 47 degrees Celsius in most districts. Banda and Mahoba continue to simmer under extreme heat wave condition. However, on Tuesday several parts of Uttar Pradesh received good rainfall, bringing much-needed respite to the people. According to the IMD, India will receive 98 per cent rainfall during this monsoon between June and September and 96 per cent rainfall is forecast over northwest India, which includes Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan. July would see 96 per cent rainfall, while 99 per cent rainfall is forecast for the month of August.