A cyclist on a deserted road tries to beat the heat covering his head with a piece of cloth, in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, June 5: The rains are slated to arrive within a week but till they do, you and I will have to bear the heat that is beating down on the city.

For the past week, the residents of the state capital have been experiencing a heat wave-like condition. From 36.8°C on May 29, the temperature soared to 41.3°C today. There will be no respite on Monday either. When you go out, be sure to be on your guard. The maximum temperature is expected to touch 43°C, according to the Patna Meteorological department forecast.

Weathermen claimed that such pre-monsoon heat was normal and favourable for arrival of the rains. “The south-west monsoon is approaching the north-west region of the country. It has covered the Arabian Sea and various regions along the west coast, including Karnataka and Maharashtra. There is low pressure over northwest India and the atmosphere is hot and dry. Such pre-monsoon heat is normal and it is favourable for the advancement of the rains,” Animesh Chanda, the director of Patna Met department, said.

He added that a normal monsoon is expected this year in Bihar. It is likely to arrive by June 10 or June 15.

The excessive heat has thrown day-to-day life out of gear.

“It is literally burning in the open during day. On top of that, there is no breeze in the daytime. We prefer to remain indoors as going out results in getting drenched in sweat. Fans and coolers are of no help, as all that they do these days is emit more hot air. I sleep in front of the cooler but after every few hours I have to turn around my pillow, as it gets soaked with sweat. I can’t even get a good night’s sleep because of the heat,” Tulika Sinha, a resident of Srikrishna Nagar, said.

According to the Met officials, the average monthly temperature for May is 38.4°C and for June it is 36.7°C. The temperature usually fluctuates by three to four degrees.

Heat wave is a situation when the temperature goes up by five to six degrees from the normal temperature. Though the city is still not under its grip, it is uncomfortable enough.

The heat has hit business as well.

“The heat in the past few days has affected our sales, as rarely any customer comes to my shop after 10 in the morning. They only come after 5 in the evening. Owing to poor footfall, I have started home delivery services for customers who live nearby to maintain the sales. However, soft drinks, lassi and other cold drinks are selling a lot in the past few days,” Sandeep Kumar, a grocery shop owner, said.