Prayagraj: Intense heatwave conditions continued to prevail in Prayagraj on Friday as the Sangam City remained the second hottest place in Uttar Pradesh for the third day in a row.According to the India Meteorological Department, Prayagraj recorded a maximum temperature of 46.2 degrees Celsius, just 0.2 degrees lower than Banda, which emerged as the hottest city in the state at 46.4 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Prayagraj settled at 26.4 degrees Celsius, making the night unusually warm and uncomfortable for residents.Though the daytime temperature dipped marginally by 0.4 degrees Celsius from Thursday’s 46.6 degrees Celsius, it still remained 4.9 degrees above normal. The night temperature, however, witnessed some relief as it fell by 3 degrees Celsius compared to Thursday’s minimum of 29.4 degrees Celsius.From early morning, harsh sunlight and blistering hot winds kept people indoors, while roads and marketplaces wore a deserted look during peak afternoon hours.Residents said the hot winds felt like air from a blower, making even brief time outdoors difficult. However, citizens experienced some relief on the traffic front after the ongoing road blockade linked to the agitation by lawyers ended before Friday noon.After traffic restrictions were lifted near the Government Press crossing and adjoining city roads, vehicle movement improved significantly. Commuters had been stuck in massive jams under the scorching sun over the past two days.The heatwave continued to disrupt daily life despite a slight dip in temperature. Demand for cold drinks, sugarcane juice, and shikanji stayed high at roadside stalls as people sought relief from the oppressive weather.Even coolers and fans provided little comfort during the afternoon hours as the relative humidity too was high and ranged between 16% and 57%.The Met department has warned that heatwave conditions are likely to persist in Prayagraj and adjoining districts over the next few days. A Red alert issued by the IMD for the region remains in force, with authorities advising people to avoid unnecessary exposure to direct sunlight during daytime hours.
