Monsoon enters Punjab three days earlier than normal; widespread rains expected

Monsoons have entered Punjab three days earlier than normal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday, with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over many parts of Northwest India till June 28.

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“South-West monsoon has further advanced over most parts of Himachal Pradesh, entire Ladakh and Kashmir, most parts of Jammu and some parts of Punjab,” a bulletin issued by IMD on June 22 said.

The northern limit of the monsoon now passes through Barmer, Jaipur, Agra, Rampur, Dehradun, Shimla, Jammu and Pathankot. Conditions are favourable for its further advance into some parts of Rajasthan, Punjab, some parts of Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu during the next two days, IMD said.

The arrival of monsoon in Punjab and western Jammu region was expected around June 25. Till June 21, the northern limit was passing over Barmer, Jaipur, Agra, Rampur, Dehradun, Shimla, Manali and Nyoma in Ladakh.

In 2024, monsoon advanced through some parts of Punjab on June 27 and Haryana on June 28, and had covered both the states entirely by July 2, IMD data shows. Punjab had received 314.6 mm rain against the seasonal average of 439.8 mm, while Haryana received 409.4 mm against the normal of 430.7 mm.

During the last 24 hours, light to moderate rain and thunderstorms occurred at a few places in Punjab, particularly Pathankot district as well as Haryana. Rainfall for June so far has been below the long period average by 11 per cent in Punjab and seven per cent in Haryana.

Day temperatures remained below normal by up to 3°C over some areas in both the states. The IMD does not expect any significant change in day temperatures over Punjab during the next three days, while these are likely to drop by 3-4 degrees over Haryana.

According to IMD, an upper air cyclonic circulation over North-East Rajasthan and its neighbourhood persists and now extends up to 900 meters above mean sea level, while an East-West trough runs from north Punjab to north Bihar across south Haryana. These weather systems are associated with the advancement of monsoons.

IMD has predicted that isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab and Haryana during June 22-28. Very heavy rainfall is likely over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during June 22-26, and over Haryana on June 22 and June 25.

Punjab and Haryana have been placed on orange alert, the second highest level, for June 25 due to the possibility of widespread rains, while a yellow alert has been issued till June 28.

Light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds with speeds reaching 40 kmph are expected over most places in North-West India till June 26.