Rain over north India below normal in February, but showers expected this week

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, February 27

After a cold and wet January that saw excess precipitation over north India, rainfall was below normal in the month of February, with Himachal Pradesh witnessing a deficiency of 22 per cent, while Punjab and Haryana experiencing a shortfall of 15 percent and four percent, respectively.

From February 1 till the morning of February 27, Himachal Pradesh received 75.5 mm rain against the long period average of 97.2 mm for this duration, according to data compiled by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

In Punjab, rainfall recorded in February so far was 22.6 mm as compared to the long period average of 26.6 mm while Haryana fared a bit better having received 15.1 mm rain against the normal of 15.7 mm, IMD data showed.

A western disturbance along with associated cyclonic circulation over central Rajasthan and adjoining areas at lower tropospheric levels had brought in scattered to widespread rain, thunder and snow as well as strong winds over many parts of northwest India during the past three days.

The weatherman has further predicted that two fresh western disturbances are likely to influence northwest India during February 28 to March 3, which may bring in isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall and snowfall over the western Himalayan region and the adjoining plains.

Many areas in the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir had experienced light to moderate this earlier week, which had not only closed many roads, but also resulted in a dip in the temperature.