Widespread rain dips temperature in region

Chandigarh, May 17 (UNI) Several areas in north-west India were lashed by widespread rain bringing a considerable fall in the temperature and providing a respite from scorching hot weather conditions in the region today.

The mercury fell by one degree to six degrees celsius below normal at various places in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh.

The western disturbance lay over north Pakistan and north east of Afghanistan as upper air cyclonic circulation extends upto 4.5 km above sea level, according to the weather office here.

Moderate to rather heavy rain or thundershowers have been predicted at many places in Himachal Pradesh while light to moderate rain or thundershowers may occur at many places in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours.

Hailstorm or thundersquall with wind speed exceeding 45 km per hour is likely to occur at isolated places in the region during the period.

In Punjab, the temperature dipped by three degrees celsius to 36.0 degrees, five degreees below normal, at Ludhiana following rain.

Amritsar was cool at 38.3 degrees while Patiala recorded 37.3 degrees, three degrees below normal.

The temperature also declined in Haryana where Karnal registered 34.6 degrees, five degrees below normal, and Ambala 36.7 degrees, four degrees down, in the wake of rain.

Many areas in Himachal Pradesh experienced moderate rain since last night. Shimla recorded 16.5 mm rain till this morning, plummeting the mercury to 22.5 degrees, four degrees below normal, in the capital town. Sundernagar in Mandi district measured 15.1 mm rain.

People in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana heaved a sigh of relief from the rising temperature following rain.

The city recorded 3.6 mm rain and the temperature at 35.0 degrees, three degrees below normal.

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