Showers in many parts of Punjab, but rain in March significantly deficient in state

Many parts of Punjab experienced varying amounts of rainfall over the past 24 hours, but the precipitation in the state during the month of March so far has been significantly below normal.

Rainfall in Punjab has been deficient by 44 per cent this month. From March 1 to March 15, the state received 7.4 mm rain against the long period average of 13.3 mm for this duration, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Rainfall in the neighbouring agrarian state of Haryana is below normal by 14 per cent in March, while in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, which also received snow in some areas, it is above normal by six percent.

IMD data shows that during the past 24 hours, south eastern Punjab received good rain, with Barnala being the wettest district in the state. Tarn Taran, Kapurthala and SBS Nagar remained dry, while a few others received only a miniscule amount of rain.

The highest maximum temperature recorded in the state over the past 24 hours was 31.8 degrees Celsius at Ludhiana. Rain notwithstanding, the day temperatures were above normal by up to 4.4. degrees Celsius in SBS Nagar, SAS Nagar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Jalandhar, Sangrur, Fatehgarh, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Moga, Bathinda and Mansa districts.

The lowest minimum temperature in the state was 13 degrees Celsius at Gurdaspur. Night temperatures were above normal in SAS Nagar, Fatehgarh, Patiala, Mansa, Sangrur, Rupnagar, Fazilka, Muktsar and Bathinda.

According to IMD, a western disturbance is seen as a cyclonic circulation over north Pakistan and adjoining Jammu region in lower and middle tropospheric levels along with a cyclonic circulation over northeast Rajasthan, which could bring fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall and snowfall accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning over the western Himalayan region on March 16.

Isolated to scattered, light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm and lightning along with gusty winds with speed of 30-40 kmph is likely over Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on March 16, IMD said.

The weather department is also expecting a gradual fall in maximum temperatures by about 2-3 degrees Celsius over north-west India during the next 2-3 days, and a gradual rise by about 2-4 degree Celsius thereafter.