Cloud cover over Patna on Thursday evening. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, Sept. 15: The residents of the state capital heaved a sigh of relief this morning as the rain ended the dry spell. The respite was short-lived, though. The sun was out soon blazing all guns. The sweet morning turned sultry. But the rain resumed in the evening.

The shower started late last night and continued till this morning. Schoolchildren had to encounter puddles on their way to educational institutions. Office-goers, however, had no cloud cover to provide them relief and had to brave the sun on their way to work.

Sumit Agarwal, a resident of Boring Canal Road, said: “The children had to face a little trouble on their way to school. Office-goers, however, went to work when it was bright and sunny. There was no cloud cover between 9am and 2pm. The clouds resurfaced later.”

He added: “Only a few days of monsoon are left this year. We expect to see more rainfall.”

According to the weathermen, the expectation of Agarwal and his fellow citizens could come true. Patna Met department officials claimed that more showers could be expected over the next few days.

Animesh Chanda, the director of Patna Met department, said: “There has been no rainfall in Patna since September 11. However, the development of a low-pressure zone over the north-western part Bay of Bengal has caused heavy rainfall in Patna over the past 24 hours. At present, the low pressure zone is over Gangetic Bengal. Around 63.3mm rainfall has been recorded in Patna over the past 24 hours (till 8.30am today).”

He added: “At present, there are locally developed and scattered clouds in and around the state capital and eastern parts of the district. These may cause moderate rainfall (more than 3cm) in Patna over the next two or three days.”

Sources said scanty rainfall in the past few days had pulled down the monsoon figures of the state capital. According to Indian Meteorological department data, the state capital had received 677.3mm rain till August 18. That was 17 per cent more than the normal average rainfall expected — 580.6mm. Now, the surplus condition has turned into a deficit one. For, Patna has received 740.1mm of average rainfall from June 1 to September 15, which is 8 per cent less than the normal average rainfall — 803.4 m. Moreover, Bihar has received 823.6mm of rain for the same period, which is 10 per cent less than the normal average rainfall of 918.9mm.