Small dip, big relief: Heat grip weakens as mercury falls to near normal

Ahmedabad: After enduring four consecutive days of blistering 44°C-plus heat, Ahmedabad finally got a breather on Friday as temperatures slipped closer to normal, bringing much-needed relief to weary residents.

The city recorded a maximum temperature of 41.7°C — still hot, but a noticeable drop from the intense heatwave conditions earlier this week. Even the nights turned slightly more bearable, with the minimum temperature falling from 29°C on Thursday to 27.6°C on Friday.

The change came courtesy of a trough linked to a Western Disturbance over northern India, which weakened the grip of the scorching summer spell across Gujarat. While the mercury remained above the 40°C mark in several parts of the state, the dip was enough to spark conversations about “pleasant” weather — at least by Ahmedabad’s May standards.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast another day of around 42°C on Saturday before temperatures gradually ease by 2-3 degrees over the next two days. However, the weather agency cautioned that maximum temperatures are still likely to remain above 40°C in pockets of Gujarat during the coming week.

Elsewhere in the state, Vallabh Vidyanagar remained the hottest location at 42.3°C, while Ahmedabad and Rajkot both recorded 41.7°C. Surendranagar registered 41.5°C and Gandhinagar touched 41.2°C.