Lucknow, Mar 21 (IANS): Heavy thundershowers in Lucknow and other parts of Uttar Pradesh in the past 24 hours have not only brought down the mercury but also caused waterlogging in agricultural fields, damaging the crops.
According to state Met Department, the change in the weather conditions took place because of two cyclonic circulations -- one over Afghanistan and another over Rajasthan coupled with a trough (an extended low-pressure area with a stream of cyclonic circulations) running from over Rajasthan to Nagaland across Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The rainfall activity, however, will decline on Tuesday, but thundershowers may occur at several places.
Weather is expected to remain clear on Wednesday.
A fresh spell of rainfall and thunderstorm activity is likely in some parts of the state on Thursday.
Kaiserganj in Bahraich recorded 130 mm rainfall in 24 hours, which was heaviest in the state, followed by Prayagraj 70 mm, Varanasi 60 mm, Barabanki 50 mm and Rampur 40 mm. Hail storms were also reported from isolated places in the state.
In the same period, Lucknow's Malihabad area recorded 30 mm rainfall and main city 20.6 mm, which was highest in three years and second highest in eight years in a single day in the month of March.
The maximum temperature cascaded in the city to 23.1 degrees Celsius, 10.2 units below normal following rainfall.
The rain and hail, however, also damaged crops at many places. Wheat, pulses and potato crops that were about to be harvested have been extensively damaged.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed all District Magistrates to make an assessment of damage to crops and forward the same to state headquarters.
"The intense rain spells over the last two days have damaged several crops, particularly the standing wheat crop, in districts like Bahraich, Chitrakoot, Lalitpur, and Mathura... As directed by the Chief Minister, insurance companies and department officials will soon make loss assessment and distribute compensation to affected farmers accordingly," said an Agriculture Department official.
The Met Department forecast for Tuesday warned thunderstorm with lightning very likely over Pratapgarh, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Azamgarh, Mau, Ballia, Deoria, Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Basti, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Gonda, Balrampur, Shravasti, Bahraich, Sitapur, Hardoi, Farrukhabad, Kannauj, Kanpur , Unnao and Lucknow.
Maximum temperature will fall by 4-6 degrees Celsius during the next two days in most parts of the state, but thereafter rise by 3-5 degrees.