JAIPUR/JAMMU/CHANDIGARH: The maximum temperature touched 49.6 degrees Celsius on Friday in Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, breaking a 75-year record for the month of May, a meteorological department official said here.
It was the second consecutive day when the maximum temperature in Sri Ganganagar touched 48 degrees Celsius or more. The highest temperature recorded in this month in Sri Ganganagar until now was 49.4 degrees Celsius on May 30, 1944.
The all-time highest temperature recorded in the city was 50 degrees Celsius on June 14, 1934, the weather department official added. The day temperature witnessed an upward trend in all major cities of the desert state Friday, the official said.
Churu recorded a maximum of 48.5 degree Celsius followed by 46.6 in Bikaner, 46.5 in Jaisalmer, 44.7 in Jodhpur, 44.6 in Kota, 44.5 each in Ajmer and Barmer, 44.2 in Jaipur and 42.2 in Dabok.
However, Barmer and Kota received respite from the summer heat briefly with a rainfall of 2.4 mm and 0.2 mm, respectively.
Meanwhile, Jammu recorded the hottest day of the season as the mercury soared in the city, with the maximum temperature touching 44 degrees Celsius.
Searing heat conditions, along with long power outages, left the citizens of the city exasperated.
After remaining several degrees below the normal till last week, temperatures in the Jammu and Kashmir's winter capital have spiralled over the past few days. The maximum temperature on Thursday, Wednesday and Tuesday was 43.6, 42.8 and 41.1 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Severe heat wave conditions also prevailed in Punjab and Haryana. Patiala town registered 45.6-degree Celsius on Friday, making it the hottest in both Punjab and Haryana.
In Punjab, Ludhiana and Amritsar recorded maximum temperatures of 45.1 degrees Celsius and 45 degrees Celsius, respectively, a meteorological department report said.
Chandigarh, the common capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded a maximum temperature 44.2 degrees Celsius --five notches above the normal.
In Haryana, Bhiwani recorded a maximum of 45.5 degrees Celsius followed by 45.3 degrees Celsius in Hisar, 44 degrees Celsius in Karnal, 45 degrees Celsius in Ambala and 44.5 degrees Celsius in Narnaul, MeT department said.