Dehradun recorded this summer's highest maximum temperature so far at 40.2 degree Celsius on Tuesday. This was five notches above the normal. Things remaining worrisome, the Met office has issued a fresh warning, saying that the heat wave conditions would continue in the plains of Uttarakhand during the next 72 hours.
The Met director, Bikram Singh, said that the maximum temperature is expected to further rise by one or two notches in the coming two days. Recalling things, in 2012, the maximum temperature in May month surged up to 43.3 degree Celsius. However, the hills of the State are likely to receive light rain/thunderstorm sporadically on Wednesday.
Singh said the higher reaches of Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh districts might record rains in the next 24 hours. However, dry spell is what awaiting the rest of Uttarakhand for days till May 21. Singh further said that the weather forecast for Dehradun on Wednesday is mainly clear sky. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 40 deg C and 21 deg C, respectively.
Dehradun residents suffered a sultry day. They sweated a lot as there was much humidity in the atmosphere. “We are feeling thirsty. While out, we are slaking our thirst by cold drinks and juices. If things continue this way we wonder what would happen. Things were different in the past. It was never so hot, say, ten years ago. Denuding the greenery in the name of development coupled with population rising by leaps and bounds are landing the city in such miseries,” complained Ramesh Negi, an elderly resident of the city.
Singh further informed that the maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded at 40.2 deg C (five degree above normal) and 21.7 deg C (one degree above the normal) in Dehradun while it was 29.3 deg C (five degree above normal) and 15.5 deg C (three degree above normal) in Mukteshwar, 29.8 deg C and 17.6 deg C in Tehri and 40.1 deg C (three degree above the normal) and 20.8 deg C (one degree below normal) in Pantnagar on Tuesday.