Thanks to the rainy spell before Holi that dragged down temperatures significantly, residents can still enjoy cooler days and nights in the middle of March.

Patna recorded a minimum of 11.2ºC on Tuesday, a departure of six degrees from normal. The maximum, too, hovered below 30 degrees Celsius, from 34ºC it had touched a few days ago. In fact, it was 29.4ºC on Tuesday, three degrees below normal.

However, as the western disturbance bringing rain to Bihar has now subsided, the Met department on Tuesday predicted that temperatures would rise once again in the next three days. Dry winds would start blowing over the region, marking the onset of summer. The Met department had earlier predicted a hot summer this year.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated in its weather forecast on Tuesday: "North-westerly/westerly light to moderate dry winds continue to prevail over northwest and adjoining central India leading to the gradual rise in maximum and minimum temperatures by 35°C over north-west and adjoining central and east India during next three days."

Private weather agency Skymet Weather too said in its weather bulletin: "Since last two to three days, rain and thundershower activities have been lashing parts of Bihar. This was due to a trough lying over the state. However, this weather system has now become insignificant. Now, dry weather is likely to commence over Bihar. The temperatures are then expected to witness a gradual upward trend."

Patna Met department director Sumendu Sengupta said: "With no weather system in sight, dry weather is likely to prevail over the region in the days to come. At present, both maximum and minimum temperatures over the state are below normal by 4-5°C. But clear skies will ensure that the temperatures are all set to rise over the region."

IMD, in its summer forecast for the season (March to May), had predicted a hot 2017, with temperatures likely to rise five degrees or beyond the normal in the country's "core heat wave zone", which includes Bihar among other states.

Skymet too has warned of extremely hot summer, attributing it to very less winter rain, which normally occurs from December to February.

"In the absence of winter rain, the level of humidity also remained low and, in turn, dense fog - a peculiar phenomenon this time of the year - also remained absent. All these factors combined together kept the day temperatures high. Moreover, continuous approach of western disturbances blocked the flow of icy cold north-westerly winds, leading to further rise in mercury," Skymet said in its analysis posted on its website.

It further said as the country gradually progresses towards pre-monsoon, weather models would not indicate much activity such as rain and thundershowers, duststorm or hailstorm.

"We expect temperatures to remain above normal throughout the season, leading to frequent heatwave conditions across several parts of the country, including Bihar," Skymet said. "Earlier, 2015 proved to be the warmest year, which was then followed by 2016, which was even hotter and became the warmest year on record. Now, 2017 is also following the trend. In fact, January 2017 was the warmest since January 1901," said an official of Patna Met department on Tuesday.

The official said the rise in temperature could be attributed to increasing trend in greenhouse gases and the warming of the sea surface temperatures over the equatorial Indian and Pacific oceans. "This will further increase the frequency and duration of heat waves in the state," the official added.