Rain cools down much of India

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) The widespread rain in northern, eastern ad northeastern India in the last week kept temperatures relatively low Sunday, though the humidity factor kicked in as the sun came out strong.
The weatherman has forecast more thundershowers in Punjab, northern Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir Monday and Tuesday.
Thanks to rain in many parts of the Kashmir valley, President Pratibha Patel's helicopter could not take off from Gulmarg Sunday and she had to cancel her visit to Bhaderwah in Jammu and Kashmir, where she was to inaugurate the extension campus of Jammu University.
People in the capital had a relatively pleasant Sunday, as the maximum temperature was just 35.8 degrees Celsius and the minimum 24.5.
Rain and thundershowers continued in the north-east, south and also in parts of central India.
West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, coastal Karnataka, Kerala, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep Islands will receive rain and thundershowers until Tuesday, the weatherman said.
Thundershowers are also expected in northern Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, northern Rajasthan, Goa and Maharashtra.
The day's highest maximum temperature of 42.3 degrees Celsius was recorded at Nagpur in Maharashtra.
The following were the maximum and minimum temperatures and rainfall figure in major cities for the 24 hours till Sunday evening, with figures in brackets denoting deviations from the average: