Heatwave condition continues across India, Churu hottest at 50.3 degrees Celsius

There was no let-up in heatwave conditions in large swathes of India on Monday, with Rajasthan's Churu remaining the hottest in the country at 50.3 degrees Celsius. Temperatures remained three to five notches above normal in Haryana, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir, while there was slight relief for Odisha and Telangana after the states received scattered rains. The maximum temperature in Delhi was 40.6 degrees Celsius. The Palam Observatory recorded a high of 42.6 degrees Celsius. The city recorded a low of 29.4 degrees Celsius and the humidity levels oscillated between 39 to 62 per cent.

The national capital is likely to get some respite from the scorching heat on Tuesday. The India Meteorological Department has predicted a partly cloudy sky with chances of rain or thunderstorm accompanied by lightning and gusty winds. Churu, also known as the gateway to the Thar desert, remained the hottest place in the country for the third consecutive day with a maximum temperature of 50.3 degrees Celsius.

In most cities of Rajasthan, maximum temperatures were four to eight notches above normal, whereas the minimum were three to five degrees above normal, a meteorological department official said. Sriganganagar was the second hottest in the state at 48.8 degrees Celsius, followed by Bikaner at 48.4 degrees Celsius and Kota at 47.4 degrees Celsius.

The MeT department has predicted severe heat wave in east and west Rajasthan for the next two days. If the maximum temperature of a weather station in the plains crosses 45 degrees Celsius for two consecutive days, it is termed heatwave. And if the temperature breaches 47 degrees Celsius for two days, it is termed severe heatwave.

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Haryana also reeled under heatwave conditions, with Narnaul being the hottest place in the state at 47.2 degrees Celsius -- five notches above normal. Hisar sweltered at a high of 45 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal. In Punjab, Amritsar braved a hot day at 42.2 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal, while Ludhiana recorded a maximum of 40.5 degrees Celsius. According to the MeT department forecast, many places in the two states could get respite over the next few days.

Jammu and Kashmir's winter capital, Jammu, also recorded an above normal maximum temperature at 41.1 degrees Celsius. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 30.8 degrees Celsius, over five notches above the season's average. Long power outages amid high temperatures left the residents exasperated.

Vidarbha and Marathwada regions of Maharashtra also battled heatwave conditions. The IMD warned that there will be no respite till June 7. Nagpur, the biggest city in Vidarbha, was the hottest in Maharashtra with a maximum temperature of 47 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in city stood at 29.7 degrees Celsius, slightly above normal.

Meanwhile, rains brought relief to residents in some parts of the country. Various parts of Hyderabad and its neighbouring areas in Telangana received a brief spell of rain on Monday evening, the weather department said.

The city, which has been witnessing temperatures above the 40-degree mark for the past few days, recorded a maximum of 40.2 degrees Celsius on Monday. Other parts of the state recorded higher temperatures. Adilabad was the hottest in the state at 45.4 degrees Celsius, followed by Nizamabad at 44.4 degrees Celsius.

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Rains in most parts of Odisha, mainly the western region, brought down the mercury. Titlagarh, which was the hottest place in the state on Sunday at 43.8 degrees Celsius, saw the maximum temperature dip to 31 degrees Celsius on Monday.

Several other parts of the state recorded maximum temperatures below the 40-degree mark. Bhubaneswar recorded a high of 35 degrees Celsius, Talcher recorded a maximum temperature of 39.3 degree Celsius, while the mercury stood at 38 degrees Celsius in Sundargarh. According to the IMD forecast, no significant changes in maximum temperatures are likely over the next two-three days.