Rains brought relief from hot conditions in northern states, which witnessed unusually high temperatures over the last fortnight, even as two persons were killed and 10 injured in a rain-related incident in Uttar Pradesh.
The untimely showers have left farmers worrying for their standing wheat crop, but may minimise the possibility of forest fires in the hills by depositing enough moisture in the air.
Delhi, which on Thursday recorded the maximum temperature for March in the last seven years at 38.3 degrees Celsius, had a pleasant start to the day after showers overnight brought down the minimum temperature to 20.1 degrees Celsius.
The city received 24.6 mm rainfall. Palam station recorded 14.2 mm, Ridge 0.8 and Ayanagar 76.0 mm rain. Safdarjung station gauged 24.6 mm rain, the weather office said.
Light showers in several parts of Punjab and Haryana eased hot conditions, but have triggered concerns about the standing wheat crop which is ready for harvest.
"Inclement weather is detrimental to ripened wheat and its continuation could lead to lower yield," Jalandhar-based farmer Sital Singh said.
The Union Territory of Chandigarh got light rains, leading to a drop in the maximum temperature. It also drizzled at a few places in Punjab, including Mohali, Ropar, Phagwara and Jalandhar, and Panchkula, Ambala, Kalka and Yamunanagar in Haryana.
Intermittent rain lashed many parts of Uttarakhand, bringing a nip in the air and causing a sharp drop in temperature which fell by 15-16 degrees Celsius.
Most places in Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts received showers in varying degrees since morning, MeT office Director Vikram Singh told PTI.
He said rain and hailstorm activity in Uttarakhand will continue till the morning of April 7.
Rains have led to a 15-16 degrees Celsius fall in the maximum temperatures at most places and the temperatures are going to remain 8-10 degrees Celsius below normal for the next couple of days.
This kind of weather is good as it minimises the possibility of forest fires by depositing enough moisture in the air, he said.
Forest fires had blighted vast tracts of land in Uttarakhand last year burning thousands of hectares.
Meanwhile, two persons were killed and 10 injured, including two police personnel, in an incident of lightning strike in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district.
Gulshan and Tara Chand, both residents of Khadahan, died on the spot, while Station House Officer Sanjeev Kumar and Assistant Sub-Inspector Hoshiar Singh were injured.
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