IMD warns of very heavy rain over north-west India; monsoon expected to cover Punjab, Haryana in 2-3 days

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, June 28

With monsoon expected to cover the entire states of Punjab and Haryana in the next two to three days, the weather department has issued an orange alert for these states, warning of torrential rains over the next few days.

“Heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over north-west India during the next four to five days,” a weather bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said. The rains are expected to be accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.

The northern limit of the monsoon is passing over Jaisalmer, Churu, Bhiwani, Delhi, Aligarh, Kanpur, Ghazipur, Gonda, Kheri, Moradabad, Una, Pathankot and Jammu. In north-west India the monsoon has so far covered most parts of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Kashmir, Jammu and Delhi, besides the sought-eastern tip of Haryana and north-eastern fringes of Punjab along the border with Himachal.

“Conditions are likely to become favourable for further advance of the monsoon into the remaining parts of Haryana, entire Chandigarh and remaining parts of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu during the next two to three days,” the IMD said.

Over the past 24 hours, light to moderate rain and thunderstorm occurred at many places in Punjab, though heat wave conditions and heavy rain were also reported from isolated places in the state.

In Punjab, Sangrur was the wettest during this period, having received 71.5 mm rainfall, followed by Ludhiana with 11.4 mm and Barnala with 10 mm. Yesterday’s highest maximum temperature recorded in the state was 38 degrees Celsius at Gurdaspur and Pathankot, while the lowest minimum was 24 degrees Celsius at Gurdaspur. The maximum temperature is expected to fall further by three to five degrees over the next four to five days, according to IMD.

The ongoing spells of rain have also reduced the rain deficit in Punjab to some extent. From June 1 till June 27, Punjab received 16.6 mm rainfall compared to the long period average of 43.5 mm making for a shortfall of 62 per cent.

According to the IMD, a low pressure area has formed over north-west Bay of Bengal and an associated cyclonic circulation extends up to middle tropospheric levels, which is likely to move northwestwards during the next two days. A cyclonic circulation lies over northeast Rajasthan and neighbourhood in lower tropospheric levels, with a trough running from this area to north-west Bay of Bengal.

These weather systems are expected to bring fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rain accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during the next five days.

Isolated very heavy rain is likely over Himachal Pradesh on June 29 and 30, over Punjab on June 30 and July 1, and over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during June 29 to July 1, the IMD said.