Relief in sight: IMD predicts rain from March 14-16 as temperatures soar above normal in Punjab
Over the past 24 hours, the minimum temperatures recorded in Punjab ranged from 16 degrees Celsius at Gurdaspur to 21.3 degrees Celsius in Mohali
Amidst dry weather, and day and night temperatures in Punjab remaining significantly above normal, the weatherman has predicted some relief later this week with a fresh western disturbance expected to hit northwest India on March 14 that may bring rain to parts of the state from March 14-16.
Over the past 24 hours, the minimum temperatures recorded in Punjab ranged from 16 degrees Celsius at Gurdaspur to 21.3 degrees Celsius in Mohali, which were above normal at some places by up to 9.2 degrees. The deviation was highest in Amritsar.
Day temperatures ranged between 31 degrees at Thein to 33.6 degrees Celsius at Patiala, which were above normal at some places by up to 7.2 degrees. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has termed the deviation during day and night to be “markedly” above normal, which is the highest anomaly category.
Isolated areas in Punjab also experienced dense, which according to experts, can be attributed to temperature differentials and high moisture from western disturbances. An upper air cyclonic circulation lies over central Pakistan and a western disturbance over the Middle East, with subtropical westerly jet stream having core wind speed of 140 kmph prevailing over northwest India at an altitude of 12,600 meters.
Punjab has also remained totally dry this month so far. The long period average for the state from March 1 till March 10 is 8mm whereas not a drop has been recorded during this period. Even the month of February was almost dry with the rainfall being 98 per cent below normal in the state and the rain deficit in the first two months of the year being 26 per cent.
A bulletin issued by IMD on March 10 states that the weather in Punjab is likely to be dry during the next four days, with no large change in maximum temperature for next two days, but a fall by 2-4 degrees thereafter.
The weather department has also forecast scattered to fairly widespread rainfall and snowfall over the western Himalayan region till March 16, with isolated thunderstorm, lightning, gusty winds and hailstorm over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh till March 12.
Hailstorm is also very likely at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh on March 11 and 12. These weather systems affecting the region can impact the prevailing temperatures over Punjab.
