LUCKNOW, Sept. 26 -- Uttar Pradesh is likely to witness an increase in rainfall activity over the next two days, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday, warning of heavy to very heavy rain at several places and extremely heavy rain at isolated locations. On Friday, Banda recorded the highest rainfall at 146mm, followed by Bahraich 103.6mm, Lucknow 86.6mm, Barabanki 62.4mm, Hamirpur 54mm, Hardoi 37mm, Lakhimpur Kheri 35mm, Shahjahanpur 33.8mm and Kanpur city 32.2mm. IMD issued a red alert for Saturday, which signifies likelihood of very heavy to extremely heavy rain in eight UP districts: Shravasti, Bahraich, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sitapur, Rampur, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, and surrounding regions. There is a high probability of heavy to very heavy rainfall in 13 districts (yellow alert): Lucknow, Barabanki, Badaun, Hardoi, Siddharthnagar, Gonda, Balrampur, Moradabad, Amroha, Sambhal, Bijnor, Basti and surrounding regions. The weather system, caused after a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal crossed the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast and moved North-West, is likely to maintain its intensity for the next 12 hours before gradually weakening into a well-marked low-pressure area during the subsequent 12 hours, according to the weather bulletin. According to the forecast, west UP is likely to receive rain and thundershowers at many places on September 25 and 26, accompanied by strong surface winds. East UP is expected to experience rain at most places on September 25-26, with heavy to very heavy rainfall and isolated extremely heavy rain during this period. The weather department warned that intense rainfall could trigger flash floods in some watersheds of the state. Strong surface winds are also likely to accompany the rain, with speeds of 30-40 kmph and gusts reaching around 50 kmph, while gusty winds of 40-50 kmph, occasionally reaching 60 kmph, are possible at isolated places. Concurrently, a significant drop of 4-7degC in the state's maximum temperature is expected over the next 48 hours. Relentless and non-stop showers lashed Lucknow for nearly 24 hours, starting Thursday evening and extending straight through Friday evening, leaving major parts of the city thoroughly drenched. The city recorded a staggering 50.6mm of rainfall within a nine-hour window between 8:30am and 5:30pm on Friday, following an initial 10.5mm logged in the 24 hours leading up to Friday morning, said Met officials. The heavy downpour cooled the city, forcing the maximum temperature down to 23.5 degrees Celsius and the minimum to 22.4 degrees Celsius-resulting in a remarkably narrow temperature variation of just 0.9 degrees. In Lucknow, the IMD forecast overcast conditions, strong surface winds and intermittent spells of rain or thundershowers. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to remain around 24 and 22 degrees Celsius, respectively. Thunderstorms, lightning and heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds of 40-50 kmph are likely at isolated places. In wake of inclement weather, the district administration announced that teaching work will remain suspended on Saturday (September 26) in all government/non-government aided/private schools from pre-primary to Class 12 in all urban and rural areas of the district, said district magistrate (Lucknow) Vishak G. Rain resulted in a sharp drop in day temperature in the state capital and adjoining areas. For instance, on Wednesday, Lucknow's maximum temperature was 34.3 degrees that plummeted to 29.6 degrees on Thursday. The day temperature dropped further to 23.5 degrees - 9.7 degrees below normal - on Friday. Thus the overall drop in day temperature was 10.8 degrees in 48 hours. Barabanki recorded the lowest day temperature in the state at 23 degrees, followed by Hamirpur 23.2 and Lucknow at 23.5 degrees....