Banda, hottest in country, scorches at 75 yr high of 47.6 deg C

Lucknow: Though the mercury levels dropped a bit in most parts of the state on Monday, the record-breaking heatwave continued unabated in Banda, with the maximum temperature touching 47.6 degrees Celsius, the highest in 75 years in the month of April.

Banda was also the hottest place in the country.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), strong winds and thunderstorms may occur in some parts of UP on Tuesday and Wednesday due to a change in weather conditions. This would lead to a drop in mercury levels by a few degrees, but the weather may also turn sultry, leading to a rise in discomfort levels.

In Banda, the maximum temperature was 47.6 degrees Celsius, 5.4 units above normal. This was the highest maximum temperature in Banda since 1951, when the met department started keeping records of the district. The previous record of the highest temperature in Banda was 47.4 degrees Celsius on April 30, 2022, and April 25 this year. The hottest day in Banda was recorded on June 10, 2019, when the mercury touched 49.2 degrees Celsius.

It was the sixth time in the past 12 days that Banda was the hottest in the country.

Other places in Bundelkhand also experienced a heatwave. While Jhansi recorded 45.2 degrees Celsius and was the 11th hottest place in the country, the maximum temperature in Orai and Hamirpur was 44.2 degrees Celsius each.

The other hottest locations in UP were Agra at 44.4 degrees Celsius, Prayagraj at 44.2 degrees Celsius, Kanpur at 43.8 degrees Celsius and Aligarh at 43.4 degrees Celsius.

Senior scientist at IMD, Lucknow, Mohammad Danish said that several factors, including a clear sky, dry hot winds coming from Rajasthan and an anticyclone over central India, led to the harsh conditions prevailing in the state for the past several days.

“In Bundelkhand, the rocky terrain heats up quickly under direct sunlight, causing a sharp rise in temperatures,” he explained.

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Respite from heat likely today

A day after recording the season’s hottest day, with the mercury touching 43 degrees Celsius, the maximum temperature in Lucknow dropped to 40.3 degrees Celsius on Monday. The minimum temperature was 24.8 degrees Celsius. The city might witness a further drop in mercury by a couple of degrees in the next two days due to a change in weather conditions.

The met officials said that a western disturbance has arrived from the Mediterranean Sea to India. Several cyclonic circulations have also developed over UP. Besides, moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal has also started.

All these factors are expected to cause a partly cloudy sky and strong winds in many parts of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thunderstorms may occur at a few places in the state on Tuesday and Wednesday, they added.