New Delhi, Mar 16 (IANS): As a heat wave continued over large parts of the country, Akola in Maharashtra and Barmer in Rajasthan recorded a maximum temperature of 42.9 degrees, the highest across India on Wednesday, the IMD said.

Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh recorded maximum temperature of 42.3 degrees Celsius, which is 2nd highest value for this month for that station while Jaisalmer in Rajasthan recorded the maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius, which is 2nd highest value for this month for the station, the evening bulletin of India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.

Jammu recorded 35 degrees Celsius, nine notches above normal, while Shimla recorded 25.1 degrees Celsius, 9.6 notches above normal. In the eastern side, Mohanbari (Dibrugarh) recorded the maximum temperature of 34.3 degrees Celsius while Tezpur recorded 36 degrees Celsius.

The IMD said Jammu, west Rajasthan and small pockets of Gujarat are experiencing severe heat wave, there is a heat wave to severe heat wave over isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and there is a heat wave condition over many pockets of Vidarbha, isolated pockets of Madhya Pradesh, and interior Odisha.

Jammu, Western Rajasthan, small pockets of Gujarat, pockets of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, pockets of Vidarbha and isolated pockets of Madhya Pradesh, interior Odisha and Telangana will witness heat wave conditions on Thursday while on Friday, it will be west Rajasthan, interior Odisha, and Telangana that would experience heat wave conditions, it said.