Rain during April surplus in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, May 1

Even as some parts of north-west India experienced intermittent rain over the past 24 hours, bringing some relief from the heat, the region had experienced surplus rains in the month of April.

Though parts of the region had experienced above normal temperatures on several days during April, the rain was above normal by 81 per cent in Punjab, 62 per cent in Himachal Pradesh and 53 per cent in Haryana.

From April 1 to April 30, Punjab received 26.10 mm rain compared to the long period average of 14.40 mm for this period, according to data compiled by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The hill state of Himachal Pradesh received 103.90 mm rain during the aforementioned period compared to the normal of 64 mm, while the agrarian state of Haryana received 14.50 mm against the normal of 9.50 mm.

In Haryana, the maximum temperature in areas that experienced rain over the past 24 hours fell up to 11.1 degree Celsius below normal, while in Punjab, the deviation was up to 8.5 degree Celsius below normal, according to IMD.

In Punjab, the maximum temperature ranged from 27.3 degree Celsius at Mukutsar to 34.2 degree Celsius at Pathankot, while the minimum temperature ranged from 18.4 degree Celsius at Mukutsar to 21.3 degree Celsius at Faridkot.

The maximum temperature in Haryana ranged between 26.8 degree Celsius at Karnal to 32.8 at Sirsa, while the minimum temperature ranged between 18.2 degree Celsius at Mewat and Narnaul to 20.4 degree Celsius at Panchkula, Gurgaon and Rohtak.

A western disturbance as a cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan and neighbourhood that moved over Haryana and neighbourhood between 3.1 km and 7.6 km above mean sea level has been attributed as the reason for the current spell of cloudy, rainy and windy weather.

Another western disturbance as a cyclonic circulation lies over south Pakistan and neighbourhood between 3.1 km and 5.8 km above mean sea level. An induced cyclonic circulation also lies over northwest Rajasthan in lower tropospheric levels.

Under the current weather system, light to moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall and snowfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds are expected to continue over northwest India till May 2 and gradually reduce thereafter.

Hailstorm activity are also very likely at places over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh during this period along with the possibility of heavy rainfall at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab, according to a weather bulletin issued by the IMD on Monday.