Monsoon retreat: Below normal rains in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal this month

Vijay Mohan

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Chandigarh, August 13

The monsoon over North India has faltered in August, with the rain received by the states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh in the first fortnight of the month being significantly below normal.

The shortfall during this month so far has been 62 per cent and 56 per cent respectively in Punjab and Haryana, and by 24 per cent in Himachal Pradesh, according to information made available by India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday.

From August 1 till the morning of August 13, Punjab received 29.90 mm rain against the long period average of 77.10 mm for this period. Haryana received 29.70 mm against the normal of 76 mm, while Himachal Pradesh received 97.80 mm against the normal of 129.20 mm during the aforementioned period.

Rainfall in these three states during the entire monsoon season since June 1, has however, been above the long period average by 35 per cent in Himachal, 28 per cent in Haryana and 12 per cent in Punjab, according to the IMD.

The water situation in dams also remains comfortable. With the combined storage in three reservoirs located in Himachal being 26 per cent above normal and by 32 per cent in the sole reservoir in Punjab.