Heatwave conditions gripped several parts of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday as day temperatures continued their gradual increase, meteorologists said.
Prayagraj recorded the country’s second highest and state’s highest temperature at 44.6°C, which is 4.7 degrees above normal. Akola and Wardha in the Vidharbha region were the hottest at 45°C.
In UP, other high temperatures were recorded in Varanasi (BHU) at 44.2°C, Sultanpur at 43.8°C, and Agra, Banda, and Jhansi all recorded 43.6°C.
“Driven by dry westerly winds entering the lower troposphere and the influence of an anticyclone centered near Interior Maharashtra, maximum temperatures across the state—with the exception of the Terai region of Uttarakhand—have gradually risen to exceed 40°C,” said Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Lucknow Met office.
Singh said that temperature deviations met the heatwave criteria for the first time on Sunday in Prayagraj, Varanasi, Sultanpur, Agra, Barabanki, Bahraich, Shahjahanpur and Hardoi. In view of the likelihood that the weather will remain predominantly dry with no significant change in temperatures over the coming week, there is a possibility of isolated heatwave (’Loo’) conditions occurring across the state over the next four to five days, he added.
Furthermore, as nighttime temperatures are also expected to rise above normal levels, there is a possibility of isolated “warm nights” occurring in parts of Western Uttar Pradesh over the next two to three days.
Maximum and minimum temperatures in Lucknow were 41.9°C (3.4 degrees above normal) and 24.4°C (2.8 degrees above normal). The forecast for Lucknow is clear skies, with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to be around 41°C and 25°C, respectively.
The state forecast indicates predominantly dry weather. The IMD issued a warning that heatwave conditions are very likely at isolated places in the southern part of UP during the day. A warm night is very likely at isolated places over the northwestern part of West UP.
