Some parts of Himachal Pradesh were lashed by moderate rain, while the weather remained dry in most parts causing marginal rise in mercury. Dalhousie was wettest in the State with 43 mm rain while Baijnath recorded 24 mm rain, followed by, Dharamshala and Jogindernagar 15 mm, Palampur 11 mm, Bangana 9 mm, Sarahan 8 mm and Amb 5 mm.
The maximum temperature rose marginally and Una which was hottest in the region recorded a maximum of 39.0 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature rose to 26.5 degrees C, five degree above normal.
Bhuntar and Sundernagar recorded maximum at 34.5 and 33.8 degrees C, followed by Nahan 31.6, Dharamshala 31.4, Solan 29.0, Manali 26.0, Kalpa 25.2 and Shimla 24.9 degrees C.
Kalpa was coldest during the night with the minimum temperature at 10.4 degrees C while Manali recorded a low of 12.0, followed by Keylong 13.4, Dharamsala 16.2, Palampur 17.2, Shimla 17.3, Solan 17.6, Nahan and Bhuntar 18.6, Sundernagar 19.7 and Una 26.5 degrees Celsius.
The local Met office has predicted rain or thundershowers in lower, mid and higher hills during the next six days and warned of heavy rain in mid-hills on June 21.
Isolated parts of Uttar Pradesh witnessed rain and thundershowers on Saturday. Day temperature rose in Faizabad, Bareilly, Moradabad, Meerut and Gorakhpur divisions, while it fell in Allahabad division and changed a little in the remaining divisions, the Met department said.
Day temperature were, however, below normal in Faizabad, Agra, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Moradabad divisions and were normal in the remaining divisions of the State. Jhansi, recording a maximum of 41.5 degrees Celsius, was the hottest in the State, they said.
The Met department has predicted rain or thundershowers at isolated places in the State tomorrow.
The monsoon hit Bihar on Saturday, with rain drenching the northeast part of the State and it is expected to advance to other areas in the next three to four days.
“Monsoon today arrived in northeast Bihar and will advance to other parts of the State in the next three to four days...the onset of monsoon in Bihar has been declared,” Patna Met director Ashish Sen said.
The Met department has received reports of first monsoon rain from northeast part of the State, which include Araria, Kishanganj, Purea, Katihar and Supaul districts, he said.
Araria and Kishanganj districts witnessed good rainfall, while it rained in some parts of Purea, Katihar and Supaul.
The Met department had earlier said that Bihar is likely to witness 8 to 10 per cent less rainfall against its prediction of 106 per cent of rainfall across the country.
Purnea witnessed a rainfall of 23.7 mm till 5.30 p.m., while Gaya and Bhagalpur witnessed pre-monsoon showers of 1.8 mm and 3.3 mm respectively, a Met official said.
Capital Patna recorded maximum temperature of 34.6 degrees Celsius, while Gaya was the hottest place with a maximum temperature of 36.5 degrees C.
Bhagalpur registered a maximum temperature of 35.5 degrees C and Purnea 33.7 degrees C, the official said.
The Met department has forecast cloudy skies with rain in Patna, while Bhagalpur and Purnea would witness generally cloudy sky with light rain. Gaya might get rain or thundershowers in the afternoon.
Maximum temperatures across Punjab and Haryana on Saturday hovered few notches below normal, following rains in some parts of the region.
Chandigarh recorded a maximum temperature of 36.1 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal, the Met Department said.
Narnaul witnessed rainfall of 9 mm, Amritsar and Patiala 0.2 mm and 4 mm of rainfall respectively.
In Haryana, Ambala, Hisar and Narnaul registered maximum temperatures of 36.5 degrees Celsius, 40.5 degrees Celsius and 40 degrees, two notches below normal. In Punjab, the maximum temperatures in Amritsar, Ludhiana and Patiala stood at 37.2 degrees Celsius, 37.7 degrees Celsius and 36.2 degrees respectively. According to the Met Department, light to moderate rain may occur at isolated places in Punjab and Haryana in the next 24 hours.
Pre-monsoon showers in Rajasthan
Pre-monsoon showers occurred in parts of Rajasthan today, providing relief to people from sweltering heat. Light rain occurred at isolated places in Jaipur Bharatpur and Kota divisions, the Met Department said. Alwar recorded 7 mm rain and Ramgarh and Sangod 2 mm. The monsoon is expected to hit the State between June 22 and June 26 if weather conditions remain favourable.
Meanwhile, Churu was the hottest place in the state recording maximum temperature of 45.3 degrees Celsius followed by Sriganganagar 44.6 degrees. Elsewhere day temperatures raised between 40.4 to 43.3 degrees C.
The Met department has forecast dust and thunderstorm accompanied by squall at isolated areas in the State during the next 24 hours.
The weatherman has forecast an “above normal” monsoon this year. - PTI
