Scattered rains keep temperatures in check in North; no significant change likely in 4-5 days

NEW DELHI: Scattered rainfall and thundershowers in several parts of northern India led to below-normal temperatures in the region on Sunday, with the weather department ruling out any significant rise in the mercury over the next fourfive days.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the southwest monsoon was advancing with favourable conditions and was expected to arrive in West Bengal and Odisha by June 11-12.

No heatwave is likely over the country in the next five days, it added.

In Delhi, light rains brought the mercury below the 35 degrees Celsius-mark during the day. The Safdarjung Observatory recorded 5.6 mm rainfall till 5:30 pm and a maximum of 34.8 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal.

The weather office said partly cloudy sky and strong surface winds (up to 30 kilometres per hour) were likely on Monday and the maximum and minimum temperatures were expected to settle at 37 and 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

Moisture-laden easterly winds due to a probable low pressure area in the Bay of Bengal will bring rains in DelhiNCR on June 12 and June 13, it said. The mercury dropped in most of the parts of Rajasthan as well due to rainfall recorded since Saturday night.

Till 8.30 am on Sunday, 32 mm rainfall was recorded in Kotda of Udaipur, 31 mm in Ramgarh of Alwar, 30 mm in Alwar, 29 mm in Begusar of Chittorgarh, 28 mm in Jagpura of Banswara, 22 mm in Pali, 18 mm in Chittorgarh's Bhopalsagar, 14 mm in Alwar's Behror, 14 mm in Karauli, 14 mm in Salumbar of Udaipur, 10 mm in Danpur of Banswara, 10 mm in Pipalkunth in Pratapgarh, 10 mm in Sanchore and eight millimetre in Vallabhpur of Udaipur, the weather office said.

Kota received 15.4 mm rainfall during the day and Churu recorded 10.2 mm, besides a drizzle in Dabok, it said. The maximum temperature was recorded at 41.6 degrees Celsius in Bikaner, 40.5 degrees Celsius in Jaisalmer, 39.6 degrees Celsius in Sriganganagar, 39.5 degrees Celsius in Barmer, 39.2 degrees Celsius in Churu, 38.8 degrees Celsius in Jodhpur, 38 degrees Celsius in Jaipur, 37.5 degrees Celsius in Ajmer, 36.2 degrees Celsius in Kota and 35.2 degrees Celsius in Dabok.

The Meteorological department has forecast strong winds with thunderstorms in Bikaner, Churu, Sriganganagar, Ajmer, Baran, Bhilwara, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jhalawar, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa, Sirohi and Udaipur.