Brace for widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall on Tuesday, Wednesday

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday predicted continuation of widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy downpour likely on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Noting that monsoon was vigorous over Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana during the past 24 hours, the weathermen said heavy to very heavy rainfall was reported at isolated places over Punjab and Haryana with extremely heavy downpour over parts of Sangrur and Fatehabad districts.

The IMD has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rain coupled with thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday while a yellow alert for heavy rain has been issued for Wednesday and Saturday.

“Current spell of widespread rainfall activity with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue over Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana for the next 36-48 hours and reduce thereafter,” the IMD said.

“Heavy rainfall (7cm or more) is likely during August 25 to 27 and August 29 to 30 at isolated places over Punjab and heavy rainfall (7cm or more) is likely during August 25 to 27 and August 30 at isolated places over Haryana,” the IMD forecast said.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh and Mohali recorded the highest day temperature of 30.6 and 30.5 degree Celsius, respectively, in Punjab while Panchkula experienced a hotter day with 31.9 degree Celsius maximum temperature, which was second highest in Haryana after 33.5 degree Celsius recorded in Ambala.

Even as Chandigarh and Mohali received 46.2-mm and 31.5-mm rainfall during the past 24 hours, the relative humidity today further shot up to 94 per cent.

However, the night temperature slipped by 3, 2.6 and 0.9 degrees in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, which recorded minimum temperature of 23.7, 24.2 and 25.1 degree Celsius, respectively.

The IMD has predicted a generally cloudy sky with thunderstorms and rain for the next five days in the Tricity region with the day and night temperatures likely to remain between 33 and 24 degree Celsius.