Prayagraj continued to reel under an intense heatwave on Saturday, with the maximum temperature soaring to 43.2 degree Celsius, making it the hottest place in Uttar Pradesh alongside Agra.
On Saturday, the city woke up to bright sunshine and a temperature of around 39°C, which steadily increased as the day progressed.
The combination of scorching sunlight, hot winds and high humidity made conditions extremely uncomfortable for residents.
According to noted weather expert and former head of the department of geography at Allahabad University, Prof BN Mishra, although a low-pressure area has developed over the Gangetic plains, moisture-laden winds from both the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal branches of the southwest monsoon have not yet gained sufficient momentum to advance towards Prayagraj and adjoining areas.
“High humidity has further aggravated the situation. It is not only the maximum temperature that is proving troublesome, the minimum temperature has also remained above 30°C for the past several days. Such extremely hot and humid conditions are usually an indication that rainfall may arrive in the region within the next 48 to 72 hours,” he said.
Prof Mishra added that intermittent cloud cover during the morning and night over the past two days has raised hopes of the monsoon reaching the city within the next two to three days. However, he noted that rainfall this season is not expected to exceed 91% of the long-period average, which is considered the benchmark for healthy monsoon rainfall.
Meanwhile, the India meteorological department (IMD) has forecast a partly cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers over the next two to three days, though temperatures are expected to remain above 40°C during the period.