Banda heat rages at 47.6 deg C; intense heatwave in UP

Lucknow: UP continued to reel under severe heatwave conditions on Thursday, with Banda recording highest temperature in the state and the country for fifth consecutive day. The district recorded 47.6 degrees Celsius, mour than 4 degrees above normal.

India Meteorological Department (IMD), Lucknow, forecast heatwave/severe heatwave conditions at several places in East UP during daytime, while isolated areas in West UP are likely to witness heatwave conditions over next few days. Met department said southern districts, especially Bundelkhand region, are expected to remain under severe heatwave conditions. Warm night conditions are likely too at isolated places across the state.

In UP, Prayagraj was the second hottest city after Banda at 46.6 degrees Celsius. Varanasi (BHU) recorded 45.6 degrees Celsius, while Sultanpur and Hamirpur recorded 45.2 degrees Celsius each. Rae Bareli’s Fursatganj station touched 45.1 degrees Celsius, followed by Orai at 45 degrees Celsius. Jhansi and Agra recorded 44.8 degrees Celsius each, while Varanasi Airport registered 44.6 degrees Celsius. Kanpur and Churk in Sonbhadra recorded 44.2 degrees Celsius each.

Apart from Banda, several cities across the country recorded extremely high temperatures. Brahmpuri in Maharashtra recorded 47.1 degrees Celsius, followed by Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh at 47 degrees Celsius and Chandrapur in Maharashtra at 46.8 degrees Celsius. Prayagraj in UP and Bapatla in Andhra Pradesh recorded 46.6 degrees Celsius each, while Khammam in Telangana, and Gadchiroli and Wardha in Maharashtra registered 46.4 degrees Celsius.

Minimum temperatures too remained above normal in many districts, resulting in uncomfortable warm nights.

Senior scientist at IMD Lucknow, Mohammad Danish, said hot and dry westerly winds from Rajasthan at speeds of 40-60 kmph are worsening heatwave conditions across the state.

He said clear skies have further intensified heat, especially in Bundelkhand and nearby regions. “As no active weather system is likely to affect UP over next few days, hot conditions are expected to continue for a few days more,” he said.