Severe heatwave in Punjab, red alert for next 2 days

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Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue over north-west India, including the western Himalayan region, till June 13 and reduce thereafter, according to a bulletin issued by the IMD on Wednesday.

Sizzling hot

* 45.8°C highest maximum temp recorded at Amritsar; Ropar sees the lowest minimum at 39.9°C

* 6.5°C above normal in Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana & Patiala

* Light to moderate rain with gusty winds in region from Thursday

Light to moderate rainfall at some places accompanied by thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds with speed reaching 40-50 kmph are likely over Himachal Pradesh during June 12-17 and over parts of Punjab and Haryana during June 13-17.

The highest temperature recorded today was 45.8°C at Amritsar, which is 6.2°C above normal, while the lowest minimum was 39.9°C at Ropar. Yesterday’s highest temperature was 47.6°C at Bathinda.

Over the past 24 hours, day temperatures were markedly above normal by up to 6.5°C in the districts of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Nawanshahar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Patiala.

In all southern districts of the state -- Fazilka, Muktsar, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Moga, Bhattinda, Barnala, Mansa, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar and some parts of Sangrur -- day temperatures were above normal by up to 4.4°C.

The IMD does not expect any large change in maximum temperature in the state for the next three days after which it is likely to fall by 2-4°C. The weather is likely to be dry during the next three days with the possibility of rain at isolated places thereafter.

An upper air cyclonic circulation lies over Haryana at 900 metres above mean sea level and a fresh western disturbance in middle tropospheric westerlies lying over Iran at a height of 5,800 metres is likely to affect north-west India from June 13 and bring in pre-monsoon showers.

The monsoon is expected to hit the eastern border of Himachal Pradesh on June 20 and enter Punjab around June 27. At present, the northern limit of the monsoon is passing over Mumbai, Ahilyanagar, Adilabad, Bhawanipatna, Puri, Sandhead Island, Balurghat and most parts of north-east India.

Conditions are likely to be favourable for further advancement of monsoon over some more parts of central and adjoining east India around June 14, the IMD said. Monsoon is expected to be in an active phase with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over south peninsular India during June 12-16 and over Konkan and Goa during June 12-16. Some parts of south India are already experiencing heavy rains.