After flash floods created a havoc in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, monsoon showers are again likely to drench the city and neighboring States again in next two days.
After a brief lull, the monsoon activity is likely to pick up in the region in next 36 hours. According to Chandigarh Meteorological Department, the city would witness partly cloudy sky with slight chance of light rain in next 36 hours. And, there is a prediction of light to moderate rains in some parts of the neighboring States of Punjab and Haryana. “But after that, moderate to heavy rains are expected in the region,” predicted Met Department. After reaching the region over a week before the schedule, the monsoon has remained inactive in past three days.
The Met Department has predicted normal monsoon rains in the States of Punjab and Haryana that come under northwest India. long range forecast for Punjab and Haryana is 94 percent of long period average. long period average for Punjab and Haryana are 490.0 mm and 460.2 mm respectively, said an official of Met Department.
“Normal monsoon rainfall is expected during this season. The monsoon had reached the region on Sunday. The region is likely to witness “subdued rainfall” this week but the monsoon is likely to become active by the end of this week,” added the Met official. So far, the region has witnessed moderate to heavy rains during monsoon’s first week. Also, due to heavy rains, parts of Haryana are witnessing flood situation.
Drenched by 90.2 mm rains on June 13, Chandigarh recorded heavy downpour in June after five years. The situation was similar in the parts of neighboring states which witnessed record breaking one day rain.
The Met prediction of normal rain during monsoon has come a major relief for the residents especially farmers of the region this year. The monsoon season in the region begins with the onset of rains in June and ends in September. The year 2012 witnessed delay in the arrival of monsoon which had reached the city in the first week of July.
last year, Punjab and Haryana had recorded a monsoon rain deficit of 46 and 40 percent respectively. Chandigarh—the joint capital city of Punjab and Haryana had recorded a monsoon rainfall deficit of 10 percent. The neighboring state of Himachal Pradesh saw a rain deficit of 13 percent this monsoon.
On the whole, Haryana received 277.8 mm recording a deficit of 40 percent from normal monsoon rains of 460.8 mm in 2012. The neighboring state of Punjab recorded 266 mm rains recording a departure of 46 percent from the normal rains of 496.3 mm every monsoon. In the year 2011, Haryana and Punjab had received 379 mm and 460 mm rains respectively during monsoon. Meanwhile, the temperature levels in the region saw a slight increase on Wednesday.
Chandigarh recorded maximum temperature of 33.8 degree Celsius, four notches below normal and minimum temperature of 25.7 degree Celsius. In Punjab, the holy city of Amritsar recorded maximum of 36.8 degree Celsius, three notches below normal. Both Patiala and the industrial city of ludhiana recorded a high of 35.5 degree Celsius, five degrees below normal.
Ambala in Haryana registered a maximum of 34.7 degree Celsius, three degrees below normal. Among other places, Hissar recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degree Celsius, Narnual 39 degree Celsius and Bhiwani 38.2 degree Celsius. In the neighboring state of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla recorded 13.4 degree Celsius till Wednesday morning and recorded a maximum temperature of 23.7 degree Celsius.