Lucknow, June 26 (IANS) Met officials in Uttar Pradesh said Tuesday that the monsoon in most parts of the state is set to arrive late by almost a week.

Added to it, the rise in humidity is set to make matters worse for people of the state, already besieged by a scorching and extended summer.

With day temperatures swinging between 42-44 degrees Celsius and night temperatures around 28-30 degrees Celsius, long power outages in the capital and most parts of the state, the gruelling summer is sapping peoples' energy. Added to this, the delayed monsoon has also sent the state government in a tizzy as late rains could hurt the paddy season in a big way.

Officials told IANS that usually rains in the month of June are considered ideal for sowing of paddy, something that has not yet happened, barring scant rainfall in some districts. With just 15.9 mm rainfall recorded in June, one-tenth down than the average rainfall of last year (169.5 mm), officials in the agriculture department fear that the record paddy produce of the previous year (13.96 thousand metric tonne) would be very difficult to match.

While officials say adequate seed and fertilizer distribution has been arranged this time well in advance, scarce rains could severely cripple the agriculture sector. The rains in the month of June, recorded so far, is also the lowest in the last one decade, met department records suggest. Officials are hoping that a brisk rainfall in the last week of June could salvage the situation however.

Eastern Uttar Pradesh is however likely to get some rains here and there, while other parts of the state will continue to be humid, hot and sans any rain. Thunder showers are however predicted in some parts of central Uttar Pradesh.