Guwahati, Jan. 8: The moderate showers last weekend may have spoilt the 'perfect picnic', but come Magh Bihu, there will be adequate sunshine for the mejis and bhela ghars to remain dry for burning bright during the post- uruka rituals.

The Borjhar-based Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) here has pleasant news for Bhogali revellers: the general forecast is one of fair weather in Assam.

'Though the Met office forecast is generally for the next three days, given the pattern, we can predict that barring the odd drizzle at isolated places, Assam will have fair weather in the run-up to Magh Bihu,' Sunit Das, meteorologist at the RMC, told The Telegraph today.

Light rain over the weekend had brought down the maximum temperatures substantially. The mornings generally have been foggy, as is the case at this time of the year in the Northeast. The relative humidity, too, dipped sharply in the evenings.

'The light showers in isolated places of the state last weekend was the combined effect of two weather systems - a cyclonic circulation over Bangladesh adjoining Gangetic Bengal, apart from an influence of western disturbance,' Das said.

This is also that time of the year when the bamboo, hay/dry banana leaf and wood that are used to make bhela ghar (a traditional house where people cook and feast on uruka night) and meji (a tall, dome-like structure that is lit for prayers the day after uruka) need to stay dry.

'The meji and bhela ghar need to stay nice and dry and sunshine ahead of the festivities augurs well. The ones that we are making here are nearing completion. We hope the weather remains dry ahead of the festivities,' said Basanta Kalita, a farmer at Rampur, about 35km from here.

With the weather remaining dry in December, the average maximum temperatures in the city were higher than during the corresponding period in 2013, sources in the Met office said.

The city and its surrounding areas had witnessed the highest maximum temperature between 25 and 26 degrees Celsius during December while the lowest maximum temperature in the month was between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius.

The highest minimum temperature, on the other hand, was 14 degrees and the lowest minimum temperature 7 degrees Celsius during the month.

'But roughly, the maximum temperatures during the month were normal or above normal,' Das said.

'The nip in the air brought by the weekend showers should help set the mood right for the festivities after what has been a dry December. But we would also like the weather to remain clear, as Magh Bihu is all about feasting outdoors and get-togethers by the bonfire,' said Jimli Baruah, a homemaker.