Monday was the hottest day in Dehradun this summer season with the mercury surging up to 39.2 degree Celsius. On Sunday, the maximum temperature was a bit above 38 degree Celsius. However, the climate might cool off a bit on Tuesday as the weather department said that the sky would remain mostly overcast with possibility of rain/ squall lashing some areas of the capital in the evening and thereafter.
As was the scene for the past few days with the insufferable summer heat continuing to scorch the people, traffic on the road was thin around noon. The students suffered in particular as they were found sweating profusely while waiting for buses on their way back home in the afternoon. The markets were mostly empty of the customers with the people choosing to remain indoors to spare themselves the sweltering heat. The otherwise bustling Paltan Bazaar, Dhamawala, Rajpur Road, Dharampur and other places wore deserted look during the noon on Monday.
The highest maximum temperature of the state 41.1°C was recorded at Jolly Grant while the lowest minimum temperature 13.4°C was recorded at New Tehri. The maximum temperature settled at 39.2ºC (five degree above the normal) while the minimum at 22.8ºC (three degree above the normal) in Dehradun. It was 29.5ºC (six degree above the normal) and 15.3ºC (four degree above the normal) in Mukteshwar and 40.0ºC (three degree above the normal) and 22.0ºC (one degree above the normal) in Pantnagar. In Tehri, the maximum temperature was reported as 23.2 degree Celsius while the minimum was 13.4 degree Celsius on Monday.
The director of the Meteorological Department based in Dehradun Bikram Singh said on Monday that a relief might come in the form of rain/thunder shower that might lash several districts likeDehradun, Haridwar, Pauri, Nainital and Pithoragarh on Tuesday. The spell might continue till May 19, he added.
By 8.30 am on Monday, 20 mm rainfall was reported from Dhachula while 10 mm from Joshimath and Ukhimath, the weather official stated.