A gang of girls takes cool sips in Sakchi, Jamshedpur, on Monday. Picture by Bhola Prasad

It’s the fiery forties for Jharkhand again, after a brief mercury slide last week.

Maximum temperatures crossed the oppressive 40-degree benchmark on Monday and are set to rise some more in the next two days, weathermen predicted.

By midweek, the blistering heat will perhaps again shake the sleeping Nor’wester for some thundershowers, but definitely not before.

The Patna Meteorological Office in its Monday afternoon bulletin said a rise in maximum readings was indicated in several districts.

“There is no possibility of rain in the next couple of days. Due to westerly winds, day temperature will continue to witness an upward trend till midweek unless there is a significant change in weather conditions,” said A K Sen, the joint director of the Patna Meteorological Office.

“The prevailing wind pattern is obstructing the incursion of moisture,” said a senior weather analyst in Patna. “Brace yourself for some really dry and hot days ahead, with the next 24 hours hovering between 41°C and 43°C.”

A senior official at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore, Calcutta, added some cool consolation.

“The rise in day temperatures, especially in hilly areas, is gradually resulting in the formation of a low-pressure area, which may lead to thundershowers at isolated places after 48 hours,” he said.

Since the past couple of days, the state is witnessing the loo, a hot and dry afternoon wind.

On Monday, Daltonganj topped the Celsius chart on Monday with 41.6°C, followed by Deogarh at 41.2°C, two degrees above normal in both places. Day readings also hovered around the sweltering 41°C mark in Seraikela, Chaibasa and Hazaribagh.

Jamshedpur sweated it out 40.4°C, one notch above normal. The local observatory had witnessed 40.2°C on Sunday.

Dhanbad and Bokaro were a tad more comfortable at 38.4°C and 38.9°C.

Capital Ranchi stayed the coolest at 36.4°C on Monday, but it was still more than one degree higher than Sunday’s 35°C.

According to statistics, last year, several districts had experienced rains in the first week of May due to a Nor’wester. Places like Jamshedpur and Ranchi recorded over 10mm of rain till May 6. This year, only brief showers and storms have made an appearance.

Residents of steel city had a harrowing time on a sultry Monday. “I made it a point to cover my face while commuting to office and back home on my two-wheeler,” said Ajit Sarangi, an advocate.

College student Rupa Ghosh echoed him. “We badly need rain respite,” she added.