Lucknow: Banda continued to be the hottest place in the state and the third hottest in the country, while mercury levels continued to rise steadily in Lucknow on Sunday. According to weathermen, relief is likely from Tuesday onwards due to a western disturbance approaching the northwest part of the country.Banda recorded a maximum temperature of 46.5 degrees Celsius, 4.4 degrees above normal. Lucknow, meanwhile, experienced its hottest day of the season so far, with the maximum temperature touching 43 degrees Celsius, 3.5 degrees above normal.According to weathermen, relief from the heatwave is likely after Tuesday, when a fresh western disturbance over Iran is expected to trigger weather changes and bring rain to some parts of Uttar Pradesh.Lucknow witnessed a steady rise in daytime temperatures over the past five days, and nights in the city also remained warm. The minimum temperature was recorded at 26.8 degrees Celsius, 3.7 degrees above normal. Last year, on April 25, the city recorded 43 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature for the month of April.On Monday, the city is expected to witness a clear sky. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to hover around 44 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively. Heatwave conditions are very likely to prevail in the area.Not only the state capital, but several districts across Uttar Pradesh also crossed the 40-degree mark. After Banda, Prayagraj was the second hottest, with the maximum temperature soaring to 46.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Raebareli (44.7), Hamirpur (44.2), Kanpur City (44.1), Jhansi (44) and Varanasi (44).“Heatwave conditions eased slightly in the state because of minor temperature changes, but they are likely to continue until Sunday. The impact of an approaching western disturbance over northwest India, along with rising seasonal temperatures, warm westerly winds in the lower atmosphere, and an anticyclone over interior Maharashtra, has limited severe heatwave conditions mainly to Banda, Aligarh, Hardoi, Amethi and Prayagraj,” said senior scientist Mohammad Danish at the state meteorological department.He said maximum and minimum temperatures in many other districts remain well above normal. Warm night conditions have expanded to Farrukhabad, Shahjahanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut and Aligarh. A western disturbance is expected to affect western Uttar Pradesh by Monday and eastern Uttar Pradesh by Tuesday. Moisture from the Bay of Bengal is also likely to support weather activity.“Rain and thunderstorms are expected to begin during this period. This activity may strengthen gradually and continue until early May. A fall in temperature of 3 to 5 degrees Celsius is expected, and heatwave conditions are likely to improve further from April 28,” Danish said.
