<br/>Most parts of northern India continue to reel under the hot and humid conditions with the mercury hovering around the 45 degree mark at many places.<br/> <br/>Banda in Uttar Pradesh was the hottest region with the maximum temperature touching 47.4 degrees. At 45.3 degree Celsius Churu was the hottest in the Rajasthan followed by Kota which recorded a maximum of 44.4 degrees. Heat wave continued to sweep Punjab and Haryana despite a drop in temperature at some places. Bhiwani was the hottest in Haryana at 44 degrees. Rains provided little respite to people of Chandigarh where the mercury settled at 39.2 degree Celsius.<br/> <br/>Rains and hailstorm lashed several parts of Himachal Pradesh , leading to a sharp fall in mercury levels. In Shimla, the maximum temperature recorded was 25.5 degrees. The Met office has predicted thunderstorm at some places in the next two days.<br/> <br/>Light showers at isolated parts in Madhya Pradesh and strong winds in several places provided slight relief from the scorching heat.<br/> <br/>Gwalior recorded a high of 46 degree Celsius, six notches above normal, while the minimum was 34 degrees. The MET department predict rainfall to occur in many parts of the state.<br/> <br/>In the national capital the maximum temperature settled five notches above the normal at 44.3 degrees. The weathermen predict the sky to remain partly cloudy with dust haze. The maximum temperature is expected to be around 43 degrees while the minimum will settled at 32 degree Celsius. <br/>