Monsoon at threshold of UP

Lucknow, June 24 (UNI) Monsoon is finally at the threshold of Uttar Pradesh and is likely to arrive in the next two to three days, weather officials today said.

This year, monsoon is arriving late by almost 12 days, met office director R K Verma told UNI here today.

''Monsoon has already reached Chhatisgarh and Bihar and will touch UP in a couple of days,'' he said.

Some parts of the state including Lucknow experienced a pleasant weather this morning marked with pre-monsoon winds and cloudy sky.

However, the temperature rose in Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Faizabad, Allahabad and Lucknow divisions in the last 24 hrs.

People are eagerly awaiting rains for getting respite from hot and sultry weather. Their problems are compounded following heavy scheduled and unscheduled load shedding in most places.

Meanwhile, Jhansi recorded the maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius, which was 4 degrees above normal.

Thundershowers are forecast at a few places in the next 24 hrs.

UNI VS VD HS1633