The region continued to sizzle under severe heat wave with mercury levels settling above 40 degrees Celsius in several parts of Punjab and Haryana on Sunday. Chandigarh recorded a maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal and minimum of 25.8 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal.A MeT official said that various parts in the neighbouring States of Punjab and Haryana continued to reel under the scorching heat with the maximum temperature crossing 40 degrees Celsius. Both maximum and minimum temperature levels were recorded above normal levels in various parts of the neighbouring States. In Haryana, Bhiwani braved the blistering heat at 41.4 degrees Celsius, highest maximum temperature recorded in the region on Sunday. The holy city Amritsar in Punjab sizzled at maximum temperature of 40.2 degrees Celsius, one degree above normal. Patiala and Ludhiana settled at maximum temperature of 40 degrees Celsius and 40.5 degrees respectively. Among other places, Hisar recorded a high of 40.1 degree Celsius, Ambala settled at a maximum of 38.8 degrees Celsius, Narnaul recorded 36.5 degrees Celsius.The minimum temperature recorded was 24.2 degrees in Ambala, 24 degrees Celsius in Bhiwani, 23 degrees Celsius in Hisar, 20.6 degrees Celsius in Narnaul, 22.6 degrees Celsius in Amritsar, 24 degrees Celsius in Ludhiana and 25 degrees Celsius in Patiala. The temperature levels also climbed up in parts of neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal’s capital Shimla recorded a maximum temperature of 26.3 degrees Celsius, three degrees above normal and minimum of 15.7 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal. Una recorded a maximum temperature of 39.4 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal, followed by Kangra at 35.9 degrees Celsius and Sunder Nagar at 35.1 degrees Celsius. According to the MeT Department, the temperature levels are likely to drop in next 48 hours. “Dust storms or thunderstorms with light rain would occur at isolated places in Haryana and Punjab during next 36 hours and days would be mainly sunny thereafter.The MeT official said that light rain was recorded at some places on Sunday evening.