The stifling heat of the past three days will continue for the next 48 hours, with Met officials ruling out any possibility of rain during the period.

The day’s maximum temperature was 36.4 degrees Celsius, only one degree above normal, but a “number of other factors” have combined to push up the discomfort index 11 degrees above normal.

The feeling of discomfort was aggravated by bouts of power cuts in pockets across the city and its adjoining areas.

The discomfort index at 11.30am was measured at 64.6 degrees Celsius, against a normal of 55 degrees. It rose further to 65.8 degrees at 2.30pm.

“We are not expecting any relief from the oppressive heat till at least Saturday noon,” said G.C. Debnath, the director of the weather section at Regional Meteorological Centre, Alipore. “There is no possibility of rain in Calcutta, though there may be scattered showers in some south Bengal districts.”

Officials said there has been a steady incursion of moisture from the Bay of Bengal because of a low-pressure trough over Gangetic Bengal and a southerly wind. “Clouds have formed but the trough is not strong enough to trigger rain. On the other hand, the cloud cover is preventing the heat from escaping at night. That’s the reason for such severe discomfort,” said an official.

CESC officials blamed the intermittent power cuts on Wednesday and Thursday to some “sudden restrictions” imposed by West Bengal State Electricity Transmission Company Limited.

“The demand for power has risen manifold, thanks to the increased use of air-conditioners, but there is no shortfall,” said a CESC official.