Mercury goes north in several UP districts
Prayagraj hottest @43.6°C, minimum temperature in Fatehgarh recorded at 29.4 which is 9.6 degrees above normal. Last year the hottest day in April in the district was 44.6 and in 2022, it was 46.8 degree Celsius.
LUCKNOW: The state is almost in the grip of a heatwave, with maximum temperature in several cities recorded above 40 degree Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin.
As per the forecast, the weather most likely to remain dry over the state. Strong surface winds (25-35Kmph) are very likely at isolated places over east UP. The Met department has issued a warning of a warm night at isolated places over east UP.
Day temperature was recorded much above normal in Varanasi (airport), Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Moradabad, Meerut, Ballia and Bareilly. The situation was no better in Hardoi, Bahraich and Agra . It was markedly above normal in Barabanki, Kanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Fatehgarh and Etawah as well.
Prayagraj was hottest in the state where day temperature soared to 43.6°C, which was 3.7 degrees above normal. Last year the hottest day in April in the district was 44.6 and in 2022, it was 46.8 degree Celsius.
Maximum temperature in Varanasi (airport) was 42.8°C, in Bahraich 42.6°C, Sultanpur 42.4, Varanasi (BHU) and Jhansi 42.3, Kanpur 42.1 and Agra 42, Fursatganj 41.8 degrees Celsius, Gorakhpur 41.4 degrees Celsius and Hamirpur 41.2 degrees Celsius. in Barabanki, Ayodhya and Lucknow, the mercury soared to 41°C.
The forecast for Lucknow is mainly clear sky becoming partly cloudy later. Maximum and minimum temperature will be around 40 and 24 degrees Celsius respectively, as per Mohd Danish, incharge of Lucknow met office on Friday.
The Met department has predicted that the heat index is in the districts of Agra, Mathura, Hathras, Aligarh, Etawah, Prayagraj Bhadohi, Varanasi, Jhansi, Hamirpur, Mahoba, Chitrakoot and Banda.
Even the minimum temperature is touching close to 30 degrees Celsius. Night temperature in Fatehgarh was recorded at 29.4 degrees Celsius which was 9.6 degrees above normal. Bulandshahr recorded 29 degrees Celsius, Lakhimpur Kheri 28, Barabanki 27.5 and Lucknow 26.3 degrees Celsius which was 4.7 degrees above normal.
Warm night conditions were also experienced in Kanpur city, Sultanpur, Fursatganj and Etawah. The IMD further predicted warm night conditions in Ambedkar Nagar, Sultanpur, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Pratapgarh and Santravidas Nagar. Minimum temperature is appreciably above normal so night discomfort will be there.
Children returning from schools are worst affected due to rise in day temperature as most schools in the districts get over at around 1:30 pm when the temperature is at its peak. Parents have given a call to change the school timings. They demand that schools should get over by 12 noon.