Residents swelter as mercury touches 40°C; hotter days ahead, says IMD

Kanpur: The city braced an intense heatwave and high humidity on Sunday as hot and sultry weather conditions continued, forcing many residents to remain indoors.According to weather data, the mercury rose by two degrees Celsius, taking the maximum temperature to 40.4°C. The minimum temperature settled at 27.2°C against the expected 30°C.The hot and humid conditions left citizens exhausted throughout the day. North-westerly winds, blowing at an average speed of 5.2 kmph, swept across the city, while maximum relative humidity touched 61%, intensifying the discomfort.Many residents complained that perspiration was not evaporating properly, and even air coolers were adding to the humidity inside rooms.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the sky will remain clear during the day on Monday with bright sunshine.The maximum temperature is likely to be between 41°C and 43°C, while the minimum is expected to hover around 31°C. Hot winds are expected to blow in the afternoon, but light cloud cover is likely in the evening.Dr S. Sunil Pandey, a weather expert at CSA University, said that due to increased atmospheric moisture, strong winds, thunderclouds, and light rain or drizzle are likely during afternoon hours in the Kanpur division in the coming days.He added that temperatures are expected to rise gradually during the week, while humid and sultry conditions are also likely to intensify further, causing inconvenience to residents.