It's not officially here yet, but feels like summer already - no need to wait for Holi unlike other years, when the festival of colours would act as a harbinger of heat.

Patna has been witnessing above-normal temperature for the past four days with the maximum hovering above 30°C. This is the highest maximum in the past 10 years in the state capital at this time of the month. Usually in February the daytime temperatures remain around 26°C.

There is unlikely to be any major relief in the coming days also.

Tuesday's maximum temperature was 34.2°C, around 7 degrees above normal, making it the highest in the capital since February 29, 2006 when the maximum touched 35.1°C. The maximum recorded on Wednesday was 31.2°C.

Patna Met director Sumendu Sengupta said: "The sudden rise in temperature is due to absence of any significant weather system and the warm westerlies currently blowing over the state. The increase in temperature is also due to no formation of clouds with the ground receiving maximum radiation." Temperatures will be on the higher side for the next couple of days and then fall by 2-3 degrees. Even then it will continue to be above normal, Sengupta added.

A weatherman said usually January and February are considered winter months and the city should register below 15°C as the minimum temperature. But since Sunday, temperatures have risen. While the maximum has been above 30, even the minimum has been settling 4-5 notches above normal, he said, adding that weakening of the western disturbances along with no moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal area are responsible for the rise in temperatures.

The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday said maximum temperatures were markedly above normal (5.1°C or more) at most places over Bihar while the minimum too remained above normal (3°C to 5°C) at many places.

Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 31 and 33°C till February 28 in Patna while the minimums are predicted to be between 15° and 17°C.

According to Skymet, in the past 24 hours, the maximum temperatures have increased in most parts of east India, including Bihar, Jharkhand, Bengal and Odisha. It further stated that temperatures are expected to witness a further marginal rise as the weather is expected to remain dry and clear. Days are likely to remain warm with bright sunshine while the nights are expected to be comparatively cooler and comfortable, Skymet said in its weather bulletin.

"Fluctuating weather patterns are increasingly establishing themselves in stronger and more formidable ways. At present also, temperatures across most parts of the state are witnessing a rise and the unusual rise in temperatures seems harmful for the crops. Crops like wheat, jowar and mustard are hampered by above-normal temperatures resulting in early ripening of the mustard crop, while wheat and jowar are on the verge of losing their quality," said a scientist at Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Samastipur.

According to agriculture experts, if temperatures across these states continue to rise, wheat production may be hampered by 5-10 per cent.