The prickly heat would be back from Tuesday after a brief hiatus, prompting the second lowest maximum temperature of April on Sunday in the past 16 years.

Exactly after three days of pleasant weather, the April scorcher partially made its presence felt in the city on Monday afternoon. The cloud cover started dispersing around 2pm, barely 24 hours after the city recorded its third lowest maximum temperature of the month in 20 years. (See graphic)

On April 3, 1997, the maximum temperature of the day was 25°C — the lowest in the past 16 years. The highest temperature on April 29, 1993 was 25.8°C — the second lowest maximum temperature in over the past 20 years.

The mercury column did not climb beyond 26°C on Sunday because of the cloud cover and the high moisture content in the atmosphere from Friday.

“The continuous cloud cover from Friday pulled down the maximum temperature on Sunday afternoon,” Ashish Sen, director, India Meteorology Department (IMD), Patna.

Monday morning was also cool with skies overcast. Joggers, students and office-goers were delighted for the relief from the usual heat.

“It was one of such few mornings when one feels fresh and energetic during the walk. My wife accompanied me for the walk today (Monday) because of the pleasant weather,” said Ashok Chaudhary, a resident of Gardanibagh.

The morning does not always show the day, though. As the day progressed, clouds faded. Weathermen claimed that clouds would completely disappear from the skies within a day.

“There is almost no clouding in the middle or the upper level of the troposphere. The moisture in the mid- troposphere has also come down substantially. Thus, the skies are expected to be clear by tomorrow (Tuesday),” said Sen, the director of the IMD, Patna.

The revival of the dry westerly winds would further heat up the atmosphere.

“The wind pattern has started to change from moist easterly to dry westerly. The dryness of westerly winds would allow the solar rays to directly reach the earth’s surface, leading to northward movement in the mercury column,” said Sen, adding that the maximum temperature in Patna is expected to be normal (38-39°C) by Thursday.