Despite heavy rain, Punjab's monsoon deficit still 6%

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, September 25

In its withdrawal phase for this year, the southwestern monsoon has covered up the earlier deficit in Haryana, but it still remains below the long period average in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh despite heavy rains in the region over the past two days.

While the monsoon is 9% above the long period average in Haryana this season, it is 6% below par both in Punjab and Himachal, according to the data compiled by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

When the monsoon had commenced its withdrawal on September 20, beginning from southwestern Rajasthan, rain in the agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana was deficient by 21% and 18%, respectively, while in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, it was deficient by 10 per cent.

From June 1 to June 25, Haryana received 462.2 mm rainfall as compared to the normal of 423.3 mm for this period. Punjab received 407.8 mm rainfall against the normal of 433.5 mm while Himachal received 683.1 mm against the normal of 727.4 mm.

Over the past 24 hours, the region received heavy rain due to a low-pressure area and associated cyclonic circulation over north Punjab and a western disturbance prevailing over western Rajasthan.

The IMD data shows that from the morning of September 24 to September 25, rain in Haryana was excess by 2,840% with the state receiving 41.2 mm rainfall against the normal of 1.4 mm for this period.

Rain was excess by 1,753% in Punjab with the state recording 59.3 mm rainfall against the normal of 3.2 mm, while Himachal Pradesh had a surplus of 470%, having received 24.5 mm rainfall against the normal of 4.3 mm. All districts in these three states received surplus rain during the past 24 hours.

With the current spell of rain this week owing to the prevailing weather systems, the withdrawal of monsoon had slowed down. The axis of withdrawal of the monsoon on September 25 is passing through Khajuwala, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Naliya

According to a weather bulletin issued by the IMD on Sunday, the current spell of rain over northwest India will reduce from Sunday and thereafter subdued rain activity is expected over the plains of northwest and central India during the next five days