Mercury breached the 40 degree mark today in several parts of the country with Churu in Rajasthan being the hottest at 48.5 degrees Celsius even as southwest monsoon is expected to hit Kerala in the next two days.
The IMD said conditions continue to remain favourable for the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala in next two days.
In Rajasthan, Sriganganagar followed Churu with 47.7 degrees Celsius while Bikaner recorded 47.3 degrees, Jaisalmer 47, Barmer 46.2, Jodhpur 46, Ajmer 45.6 and Jaipur 44.9 degrees Celsius.
In the national capital, after a scorching hot day, Delhiites experienced some respite in the evening as a duststorm accompanied by drizzle brought the mercury down by 2.3 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature was recorded at 40.3 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature settled at 30.2 degrees, three notches above the season's average.
The lower hills of Himachal Pradesh, reeling under scorching heat had much needed relief as mercury plummeted by few notches after rains and thundershowers. Una in Shivalik foothills recorded maximum temperature at 36.0 degree against 42.8 degree.
In Punjab and Haryana, Hisar was the hottest at 44.7 degrees Celsius followed by Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Chandigarh at 42.1, 42, 38.2, 37.6 degrees Celsius respectively with Ambala recording maximum of 36.4 degrees Celsius after receiving 16mm of rainfall.
Heavy rain and thundershowers lashed parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh since yesterday even as Etawah in western part sizzled at 44.8 degrees Celsius. Some other parts of the state also received light to moderate rain and thundershowers.
In Bihar, scorching sun and intense humidity hit Gaya, which recorded a maximum of 41.2 and humidity of 52 per cent, but there is chance of rain in several parts of the state by tomorrow.
In Odisha, many places in the state received rainfall bringing the temperature below 40 across the state except Sonepur, which recorded 40.9 degrees Celsius.
While Chandbali received a rainfall of 28 mm today, Daringibadi recorded 23 mm rainfall and Paradip 10 mm. Similarly, Titlagarh in western Odisha also received 10.2 mm rainfall.
Capital city of Bhubaneswar recorded 35.4 degree Celsius, while a relative humidity of 95 per cent left people uneasy.
Temperature in West Bengal remained normal as rains lashed the city this afternoon keeping the humidity level within bearable limits.
Bankura recorded the day's highest temperature at 37.9 degrees Celsius.
The weatherman has forecast thunderstorm or rain in most parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, while thunderstorm and rain have been forecast in isolated areas of Gangetic West Bengal.
Meanwhile, Water levels in major reservoirs of Maharashtra
have increased to 59 per cent of their total capacity, due to fresh spell of rainfall across several parts of the the state.
The state recorded 736 mm rainfall in the first week of August and so far in this season 107.5 per cent of the average annual rainfall has been recorded, which was 62 per cent last year in the corresponding period.
In Uttarakhand, one person died after being hit by boulders in Pithoragarh district during landslide triggered by rains in the state even as the Chardham Yatra remained affected with the highways leading to the Himalayan shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath blocked at several points.
Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh received heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours with Gaggal receiving 166 mm of rain.
In Gujarat, Sardar Sarovar Dam across Narmada river has started overflowing at Kevadia in Narmada district, following the release of water from Omkareshwar dam in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, officials said.
Heavy rains lashed isolated parts of the western region of Uttar Pradesh while light to moderate rain occurred in some places in eastern districts.
According to Central Water Commission, Sharda and Ghaghra rivers continue to flow above the danger mark at Palia and Elgion bridge in Turtipar respectively in the state, while Ganga, Ram Ganga, Yamuna, Rapti and Quano were flowing close to the red mark at different places.
Light to heavy rainfall continued to occur in parts of Rajasthan where Bakani in Jhalawar and Gudamalani in Barmer district recorded maximum of 6 cm rains followed by Ahore in Jalore where 5 cm rains occurred. Many other places received below 5 cm rains till this morning.
Rains also lashed several places in Punjab and Haryana leading to drop in maximum temperatures in most parts of both states with Chandigarh today recording a high of 31 degrees Celsius and 6.4 mm rainfall.
Rainfall occurred in most parts of Odisha due to low pressure in Bay of Bengal. The low pressure, which was yesterday above north Odisha and adjoining Jharkhand areas, now lies above north east of Madhya Pradesh and neighbourhood.
IMD has warned that very heavy rainfall is likely to occur in one or two places in districts of interior Odisha. Fishermen were advised to not venture in to Odisha coast.
Very heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and northwest Madhya Pradesh. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to lash isolated places in Assam, Meghalaya, west Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, east Rajasthan, southwest Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat region.
