Various parts of the region have recorded high rainfall deficit during this monsoon. According to the Meteorological Department, Chandigarh has received 181.9 mm rains recording a departure of -142.7 mm till July 23. The agrarian State of Punjab and Haryana also recorded high rainfall deficit during monsoon.
In Haryana, the districts namely Rohtak and Panipat are badly hit due to poor monsoon rains. The parts of Haryana have recorded rain deficit ranging from 4 percent to 88 percent.
Meteorological Department’s data shows that the monsoon rainfall deficiency of -88 percent in Rohtak, -80 per cent in Panipat, -72 per cent in Panipat, -65 per cent in Jind, -64 percent in Fatehabad, -66 percent in Palwal, -62 per cent in Kurukshetra, -61 per cent in Hissar, -52 per cent in Sirsa was recorded. All districts witnessed scanty rainfall and Faridabad witnessed least deficit of – 4 percent. Faridabad recorded 179.3 mm rainfall so far against the normal rainfall of 187.5 mm during this period.
The neighbouring State of Punjab is facing the same situation. All districts in Punjab have recorded monsoon rainfall deficiency ranging from -16 per cent to -84 percent. The districts with highly deficient rainfall are Barnala with – 84 per cent, Sangrur with – 83 per cent, Fatehgarh Sahib with -78 per cent, Mansa and Patiala with -71 per cent, Ferozepur with -70 per cent. Muktsar recorded 102.8 mm rainfall against normal of 121.8 mm so far recording the least rainfall deficit of -16 per cent in the State.
According to the local Meteorological Department forecast, rain/thundershower would occur at one or two places in northeastern district of Haryana during next 24-36 hours. And, weather would be mainly dry remaining area/district of the State however rainfall activity would increase afterwards in subsequent 48-72 hours. In Punjab, rain/thundershowers would occur in north-eastern parts/districts of the state in next 24-36 hours and would cover remaining parts of the state in subsequent 48-72 hours, as per the Met forecast.
The south-west monsoon had reached the region on July 1 and 2. last year, the monsoon had arrived in the region on June 16, while in the year 2012, the monsoon reached here on July 6. In the year 2013, Chandigarh had received 825 mm rains against normal rains of 788, with 37 mm surplus monsoon rainfall.