Lucknow: Summer is set to intensify in state capital over the next few days with India Meteorological Department (IMD), Lucknow, predicting maximum temperature will touch 40 degrees Celsius by weekend.City recorded maximum temperature of 37.1 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, 2.7 units below normal. Minimum temperature, however, was 26.8 degrees Celsius, 2.2 notches above normal.On Wednesday, sky in the city will be mainly clear with maximum and minimum temperatures around 37 and 27 degree Celsius, respectively.IMD, Lucknow said mercury is expected to rise steadily in coming days as dry weather conditions prevail. Clear skies will allow direct penetration of sun rays. What is expected to make conditions more uncomfortable for people is high humidity levels. As moisture content left behind by thundershowers received last week is hovering in atmosphere, increase in mercury will make weather sultry. Under these conditions, 40 degrees Celsius will ‘feel like’ 43 degrees Celsius, they explained.Senior weather scientist Mohammad Danish said, “Increase in hot conditions is driven by interaction of easterly winds associated with a cyclonic circulation over mid-northern parts of the state and westerly winds in middle troposphere.”As a result, not only Lucknow, most parts of UP witnessed rise in temperatures on Tuesday, barring Terai belt bordering Nepal which was lashed by dust/thunderstorms.With fully dry conditions expected to set in across the state from May 14, mercury will rise by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius across the state in next few days. At some places, it can climb above normal levels.In Bundelkhand and neighbouring areas, temperatures crossed 40 degrees Celsius mark on Tuesday. Banda was hottest in state with 43.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Jhansi 43 and Prayagraj 42.
