Rain deficient in Himachal, surplus in Punjab

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 29

While rain in May so far has been surplus in Punjab and Haryana, the precipitation has been significantly deficient in Himachal Pradesh.

From May 1 to May 29, Punjab received 22.3 mm rain compared to the long period average (LPA) of 16.9 mm for this period. Himachal received 36 mm rain against the LPA of 63.5 mm for the same period, making it deficient by 43 per cent, according to data compiled by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

In the last 24 hours, most districts of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh received varying amount of rain. Himachal recorded 4.1 mm rain against the normal of 1.7 mm for the day.

These rains, accompanied by winds, have been attributed to a mid-tropospheric level Western Disturbance over East Afghanistan and adjoining Pakistan and a cyclonic circulation over northeast Rajasthan and its neighbouring areas at lower tropospheric levels. The weather department has predicted more rain and thunderstorms at many places in the region over the next three days.

Barring Sirmaur district in Himachal, rain in the rest of the state remained below LPA. Kinnaur, with a deficiency of 74 per cent, and Bilaspur, with a deficit of 67 per cent, were hit the hardest.