The south west monsoon finally arrived in Orissa yesterday bringing much needed respite from the severe heat wave conditions prevailing in the state. Coastal parts of the state received heavy downpour while the capital Bhubneshwar also experienced heavy rainfall. <br/><br/>Monsoon also arrived in West Bengal with light rains drenching the cityscape yesterday. Heavy downpour in some southern states brought the life to standstill as the Southwest monsoon has been vigorous over Coastal Andhra Pradesh and active in Kerala, with rain at most places over Andhra Pradesh. The northern districts of Kerela continued to be battered by heavy rainfall.<br/><br/>According to the MET department conditions are favourable for further advancement of monsoon in remaining parts of Maharastra, Karnataka, southern parts of Gujarat and Chattisgarh. Widespread rains or thundershowers are expected to occur over parts of Mumbai. <br/><br/>However heat wave conditions intensified across north India with Barmer in Rajasthan sizzling at 46 degrees Celsius. Himachal Pradesh witnessed isolated rainfall and the maximum temperature in Shimla settled at 25.2 degrees.<br/><br/>Mainly dry weather prevailed in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.<br/><br/>The national capital had some respite from the scorching weather as squall and light showers hit the city last evening. However the maximum temperature recorded was three notches above the normal at 43 degrees. <br/><br/>The weathermen predict partly cloudy sky with chances of dust and thunder storms in the city towards the afternoon. The mercury is likely to hover around the 43 degree mark. <br/>