Rain mars eventful Sunday

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 1

Showers on Sunday not only brought down the day’s temperature but also acted as a spoilsport for organisers of several social and private functions in the tricity. The Meteorological Department also predicted a hail storm for tomorrow and rain over the next two weeks.

Gathering momentum around 3 pm, the rain affected the polling pattern for the byelections to Ward No. 10 (comprising Sectors 41, 42, Buterla, Badheri and Attawa villages). During the downpour, the power breakdown from the Mohali substation affected the power supply to all the sectors in the southern parts of the city. “The power breakdown affected the studies of students who are preparing for the CBSE Class XII exams beginning tomorrow”, said Anjali, a teacher of a private school.

The main events affected were the Spring Festival in Panchkula, and exhibition at the National Organic Farming Convention at the National Institute of Teachers Training and Research (NITTR), Sector 26.

Attributing the weather pattern to frequent western disturbances at the lower latitude, the Met Department Regional Director, Surinder Pal Singh, said it was not only the pattern for the next 15 days, the pattern resulted in the wettest February in the city in the last nine years with the rainfall recorded at 49.6 mm.

As per the Met records in 2007, the city received rainfall of 164.7 mm which is the highest in the last nine years and 1.5 mm in 2012, which is the lowest recorded in February. He said that after nine years, the rain in the city continued till March due to which there was a dip in the day and night temperature.

As per the Met reports, the maximum temperature recorded today is 19 degree Celsius which is six notches below the normal and minimum 15.2 degree Celsius, which is five notches below the normal.

The Met forecast stated that there would be hail storm in the tricity and the maximum temperature will be 20 degree Celsius and minimum 10 degree Celsius with generally cloudy sky.