Varanasi and many other parts of Purvanchal are gradually facing extreme weather as mercury continues to climb in the run-up to the start of Nautapa on Monday. Meteorologists have predicted that such a heatwave-like situation would persist for four days of the week under an orange alert. However, there may be respite around May 27, as shifting winds and local heating effects will activate cloud formations, leading to a marginal decrease in the mercury levels.

Sunday began warmly and uncomfortably in the holy city and most parts of Purvanchal with low humidity levels. However, conditions aggravated from 10 am as strong sunshine coupled with hot winds intensified heat discomfort levels. Strong sunshine and hot winds in the afternoon are predicted to last till evening, and nights are expected to remain increasingly hot as well across the region.

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Weather experts claimed that the weather could become uncertain over the next few days. A shift in the direction of hot winds may bring support to the formation of clouds, which would thus alter the weather pattern over eastern UP. Apart from this, the role of local heating would also be a key factor in activating the clouds this week.

Maximum mercury in Varanasi in the past 24 hours has registered 44.10 degrees Celsius, while mercury in the district settled at 280 degrees Celsius, 1.60 degrees Celsius above normal. Humidity ranged between 16 per cent and 37 per cent.

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It is expected that Nautapa (nine days of extreme heat) would start with continued hot winds and strong sunlight, but cloud activity will gradually increase towards the later part of the week, owing to the prolonged local heating, leading to a moderate cooling.