There was no let up in heatwave conditions in several parts of India Thursday, even as Himachal Pradesh received light showers in some areas as the maximum temperatures came down by 3-7 degrees Celsius providing slight respite to people.
Hot weather conditions persisted in the national capital, with the mercury in some parts of the city touching the 45-degrees Celsius mark.
The Safdarjung Observatory recorded a high of 43.9 degrees Celsius and a low of 28.6 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels oscillated between 19 and 66 per cent. The weather stations at Palam, Delhi Ridge and Ayanagar registered the maximum temperatures at 45.3, 45.2 and 45 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the arrival of the monsoon in Delhi is likely to be delayed by two-three days, though the city is expected to receive normal rainfall. However, Skymet Weather, a private forecaster, said the monsoon may take at least a week longer to reach the city.
In Rajasthan, heatwave conditions prevailed in most parts, with Kota being the hottest place at 46.9 degrees Celsius, a Meteorological (MeT) Department official said.
Churu recorded a maximum temperature of 46.5 degrees Celsius, followed by Barmer 45.3 degrees Celsius, Bikaner 45.2 degrees Celsius, Jaipur 45 degrees Celsius, 44.7 degrees Celsius each in Ajmer and Sriganganagar, 44.6 degrees Celsius each in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur, and 44 degrees Celsius in Dabok.
In Punjab and Haryana, hot weather conditions persisted at most places, with Narnaul recording a high of 45.2 degrees Celsius, three notches above the normal limits, it said.
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Hisar, too, braved a hot day at 43.5 degrees Celsius, up three degrees against the normal limits, while Bhiwani registered a maximum of 43.9 degrees Celsius.
In Punjab, holy city Amritsar experienced a hot day at 42.1 degrees Celsius. Ludhiana and Patiala recorded a high of 41.2 and 40.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The weather remained dry in most places of Uttar Pradesh, with Jhansi recording the hottest place in the state at 47.4 degree Celsius, five degrees above the normal.
State capital Lucknow registered a maximum temperature of 41.6 degrees Celsius, two degrees above the normal. Banda and Agra recorded a maximum temperature of 46.2 degree Celsius each.
The MeT Department has forecast that the weather is likely to remain dry over western parts of Uttar Pradesh on June 7.
In Jammu, the maximum temperature was recorded at 39.1 degrees Celsius, 0.6 notches below the average and the minimum temperature at 26.9 degrees Celsius, 1.2 notches above the season's average.
Himachal Pradesh received light showers providing slight respite from scorching heat with the maximum temperatures coming down by 3-7 degrees Celsius.
The highest temperature in the hilly state was recorded in Una at 42.2 degrees Celsius, whereas the lowest temperature was 8.2 degrees Celsius in Keylong.
Kalpa received 8 mm rains, followed by Moorang and Sangla 6 mm each, 4 mm Sarahan, 3 mm Baghi and Pooh each, Kufri 2 mm, Una 1.2 mm, Solan 1 mm, Sundernagar 0.9 mm, Kangra 0.3 mm and Shimla 0.2 mm since Wednesday evening, MeT Centre Shimla director Manmohan Singh said.
Temperatures in Odisha came down by a few notches due to light rains Wednesday night. Sambalpur recorded the hight temperature at 42.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Hirakud 42.1 degrees Celisus, Sonepur at 42 degrees Celsius.
Telangana's Adilabad district registered the maximum temperature at 46.3 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that heatwave conditions are 'very likely' to prevail at isolated pockets over north Telangana from Friday till June 10.
The maximum temperatures were registered above normal, 5.1 degrees Celsius or more, at many places across Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and at isolated places over Kerala.