New Delhi: Heatwave and soaring temperature battered parts of North India and will continue to do so while the East coast of India is predicted to receive heavy rain due to depression developments in cyclone Asani.
Rajasthan reeled under intense heat on Wednesday with the mercury hovering around 45-46 degrees Celsius in most parts of the state. Jalore recorded the highest maximum temperature of 47 degrees Celsius.
Barmer and Dungarpur both recorded a maximum of 46.5 degrees Celsius, while the maximum day temperature in Kota, Vanasthali (Tonk) and Churu was 46.2 degrees Celsius, Phalodi, Bikaner and Pilani 46 degrees Celsius, Nagaur and Jaisalmer 45.9 degrees Celsius, Jodhpur 45.6 degrees Celsius and Sriganganagar 45.2 degrees Celsius.
The weather department has predicted the heatwave will continue and the day temperatures will increase by one to two notches in the western parts of Rajasthan in the next two days.
The maximum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory, Delhi's base station, rose to 41.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and is predicted to touch the 43-degree mark on May 12 as moisture-carrying easterly winds make way for hot and dry westerlies. The minimum temperature settled at 28 degrees Celsius, three notches more than normal.
The automatic weather station in Najafgarh recorded a maximum temperature of 43.3 degrees Celsius. Jafarpur and Mungeshpur recorded a high of 42.7 degrees Celsius.
A fresh heatwave spell was predicted over Delhi from Sunday, but easterly winds prevailing in the national capital under the impact of Cyclone Asani shielded the city against it.
The heatwave spell from Friday may see the mercury soaring to 44 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Delhi had witnessed a hot and dry March, gauging nil rainfall against the normal of 15.9 mm. It got 0.3 mm of rainfall in April against a monthly average of 12.2 mm. A heatwave at the month-end had sent the mercury soaring to 46 and 47 degrees Celsius in several parts of Delhi.
Cyclonic storm Asani made landfall between Machilipatnam and Narsapuram in Andhra Pradesh late on Wednesday night after weakening into a deep depression, the State Disaster Management Authority said.
Asani would further weaken into a depression and emerge into the Bay of Bengal in the Yanam-Kakinada region in the state, SDMA Director B R Ambedkar said in a release.
However, coastal AP districts would receive moderate to heavy rainfall at isolated places with winds gushing to a speed of 50-60 km per hour, he said.
(With PTI Inputs)