Chandigarh: Punjab and Chandigarh continue to remain under the grip of an intense heatwave, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert for severe heatwave conditions till May 26.
Temperatures across most districts of Punjab have already crossed the 40-degree mark, while several cities recorded extreme heat on Wednesday.
According to the Meteorological Centre in Chandigarh, temperatures on Thursday are expected to hover between 42°C and 44°C in many parts of the state. The weather department has also warned of severe hot winds over the next six days.
Despite the scorching conditions, weather officials said there is a possibility of light rainfall at isolated places in Punjab between May 22 and May 28. However, most areas are expected to witness dry weather.
Compared to Tuesday, the average temperature on Wednesday rose by 0.7 degrees, taking it 4.6 degrees above normal. Bathinda remained the hottest city in Punjab with a maximum temperature of 46.6°C. Patiala recorded 45.0°C, which was 5.5 degrees above normal, while Ludhiana registered 44.1°C, around 4.5 degrees higher than average.