LUCKNOW, March 21 -- The heavy rainfall which lashed the state capital on Friday, reversed the march of the mercury in thermometers, pegging it at 23.5 degrees Celsius, which was 10.3 degrees below normal, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The minimum temperature was recorded at 20.3 degrees Celsius which was 4.1 degrees above normal. The city recorded 18 mm rainfall in a single day which was the third highest rainfall recorded in March in the last seven years. According to records of the IMD, the city recorded the highest rainfall in March on March 7, 2020 (22.3 mm) followed by 18.2 mm on March 20, 2023. The weatherman said that the weather in the city took a complete U-turn making it the coolest day of March so far for this year which was due to a Western Disturbance and cyclonic circulation in the Bay of Bengal. "The moisture-laden winds from Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal created a system over the northern Indian which led to rainfall and thunderstorms in parts of Uttar Pradesh and snowfall in the lesser Himalayas," said Mohammad Danish, senior Met officer at Lucknow Meteorological Department. "Earlier, the lowest maximum temperature for March was recorded in 2024 at 22.4 degrees Celsius. The system will lead to overcast skies with a feeble possibility of very light rain in the city on Saturday. The temperature will gradually record a rise from Sunday onwards," said Danish. No effect on AQIThe Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the poor category in the city even after the day-long rainfall. The AQI was recorded at 103, placing it in the poor category. However, the PM2.5 and PM 10 levels were in permissible limits of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The permissible limits are 60 micrograms per cubic meter for PM 2.5 and 100 micrograms per cubic meter for PM 10. The particulate matter PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded at 34.7 and 72.6 micrograms, respectively....