Monsoon advances in parts of Punjab, IMD issues yellow alert

Hindustan Times

5 hours ago

The southwest monsoon advanced in parts of Punjab on Sunday, while conditions are favourable for its further advancement in parts of Haryana and Chandigarh over the next two days, a senior Met department official said. Children play in the rain in Amritsar on Sunday. The southwest monsoon advanced in parts of Punjab on Sunday, while conditions are favourable for its further advancement in parts of Haryana and Chandigarh over the next two days, a senior Met department official said. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)
The monsoon would further advance many more parts of Punjab within the next 24 hours with heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms. The India meteorological department (IMD) has issued a 'yellow alert' for the next 48 hours, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall across several parts of the state.
'Southwest monsoon further advanced over some northern parts of Punjab on Sunday. Conditions are favourable for its further advancement in some more parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh over the next two days,' said Surinder Pal, director, IMD, Chandigarh.
The MET department said that there would be an increase in the rainfall activity from June 22 to 26 in view of the further advancement of the southwest monsoon.
'Light to moderate rain is likely at many places on June 22, 23, 27 & 28, and at few places on June 24. Heavy rainfall activity is very likely at most places on June 25 and 26 in Punjab,' said the IMD.
Officials said that wet spell was likely to be accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places from June 22 to 28 over Punjab.
The IMD while issuing an alert has forewarned that heavy downpours may cause waterlogging in low-lying urban areas over the next 48 hours. The IMD also said that heavy rainfall might damage vulnerable structures.
'We have already issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall in various parts of the state. This will continue for the next 2-3 days as the SW monsoon will further advance and cover the entire state. People should follow the weather advisory for heavy rainfall,' said a senior IMD official.
Maximum temperature drops by 3-4°C
Following the rainfall activity in various parts of the state on Sunday, the maximum temperature has dropped by 3-4 degrees Celsius over the past 24 hours. IMD officials said that the average maximum temperature in the state was 3.3 degrees below the normal. Majority of the districts in the state recorded a maximum temperature of 34 degrees Celsius.
Rainfall activity to intensify in Haryana
In a press statement, the weather department said that there will be an increase in rainfall activity in Haryana from Sunday to Thursday.
'Light to moderate rain is likely at many places on June 22, 23, 24, 27 and 28, and at most places on June 25 and 26 in Haryana and Chandigarh. The wet spell is likely to be accompanied by thunderstorm or lightning at isolated places from June 22 to 28 over the region,' it said.
According to the media bulletin, 4 mm rain was recorded at Palwal, 1 mm at Panchkula, 0.5 mm at Mewat and 0.2 mm at Gurgaon till 5.30 pm, even when the IMD had issued an 'orange' alert for 'heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places'.
As per the bulletin, with 42 degrees Celsius, Sirsa was the hottest in the region and the only station to have recorded a maximum temperature above 40°C.
Similarly, Palwal recorded 38.3°C as maximum temperature, 37.9°C in Bhiwani and 37.5°C in Hisar.
On the other hand, 32.7°C was recorded in Panchkula, 32.8°C at Karnal and 33.2°C at Chandigarh airport, while the lowest minimum temperature in the state was 26 °C recorded at Ambala.