It was a scorching Wednesday with several districts, especially those in the north-western parts of Jharkhand, recording extreme day temperatures that were four to five notches above normal, prompting the Met office to extend heat wave forecasts for another 48 hours.

Weathermen said dominating westerly winds that prevent moisture incursion into the atmosphere had resulted in the Celsius surge. But the weather was likely to improve by Friday evening that could see some rain.

“The dry westerly winds are pushing up maximum temperatures and will continue to do so for the next two days. Heat wave conditions will prevail,” said S.D. Kotal, the director of Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

The Met office director, however, sighted a ray of hope. “A turnaround in the weather is expected from Friday evening when the wind pattern changes to easterly. There may be rain and thundershowers at a few places in Jharkhand,” he said, after analysing Wednesday’s chart and radar pictures.

Several districts including capital Ranchi continued to fight the harsh sun on Wednesday. Both Ranchi and Jamshedpur recorded a maximum temperature of around 42 °C, that was four notches above normal.

Chaibasa in West Singhbhum recorded around 43°C, five notches above normal.

Daltonganj topped the Celsius chart with 45 °C. Wednesday’s maximum reading in the Palamau headquarters was five notches above normal. Garhwa, Chatra and Simdega also continued to reel under heat wave conditions.

Weathermen at IMD's Patna Met Centre said a cyclonic circulation at 3.1 km above mean sea level lay over west central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts.

“The cyclonic circulation would impact Jharkhand and gradually the wind pattern would change to easterly from north-westerly in another 48 hours, resulting in moisture feeding from the Bay of Bengal. This would help trigger thunderstorm and rain, especially in southern and central parts of Jharkhand after 48 hours,” said a duty officer.

The weather was less harsh in Pakur and several other places in north-eastern Jharkhand where the Celsius was around 40 °C.