Mercury rises but stays below normal

New Delhi, May 24 (UNI) After more than a week of pleasant weather, the mercury today rose in north-west India but stayed below normal at most places in the region.

Though mornings were pleasant with the minimum temperature rising just slightly to 20 degrees Celsius, from 19 degrees Celsius yesterday, the bright sunlight during the day, coupled with the high humidity level of 41 per cent, led to sultry conditions, pushing the maximum temperature upwards to 39.6 degrees Celsius.

Though the temperature of 39.6 degrees Celsius was still one degrees below normal, the significant rise in mercury from yesterday is neverthless indicative of a possibility of a return to scorching weather conditions in Delhi.

Infact, the weather office has predicted a rise in maximum temperature to 40 degrees Celsius tomorrow.

However, it would still be a while before Delhi witnesses a return to the "searing hot" weather that characterised a large part of April. For, the met office forecasts a partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain and thundershowers accompanied by squalls in some areas during the next 24 hours.

The maximum temperature hovered one degree to three degree Celsius below normal in Punjab and Haryana.

In Punjab, the mercury touched 40.0 degrees Celsius at Ludhiana and 39.8 degrees at Patiala. Amritsar was hot at 39.9 degrees, two degrees above normal.

The temperature also increased in Himachal Pradesh with state capital Shimla recording 23.4 degrees, one degree below normal, against 22.6 degrees recorded yesterday.

Hot weather conditions also returned to Chandigarh as the mercury rose to 37.6 degrees from 35 degrees recorded yesteday.

Western disturbance still exists over north Pakistan and its neighbourhood, according to weather office here. The induced upper air cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan and adjoining northwest Rajasthan and southwest Punjab also persisted.

The people of the twin cities, Hyderabad and Secunderabad, who have been witnessing oppressive heat during the month got welcome relief today when it rained in the morning, bringing down the temperature considerably.

The drizzle that started during the wee hours continued for almost three hours.

The city recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 28.5 degrees Celsius yesterday.

Rainfall occurred at a few places over Coastal and North Interior Karnataka and at isolated places over South Interior Karnataka.

Maximum temperatures changed little over the State.

Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at most places in Kerala, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep.

Rain or thundershowers are also likely to occur at a few places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal, Sikkim, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, East Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, coastal Karnataka and at isolated places in Jharkhand, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, North Rajasthan, West Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and interior Karnataka.

UNI TEAM SHB KN2010