Sharp fall in mercury in region

Chandigarh, Jun 3 (UNI) The mercury sharply fell in most parts of northwest India today, providing respite to people from scorching heat in the region.

The maximum temperature dipped four degrees to eight degrees below normal in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh Union Territory following cloudy weather and south-easterly winds blowing across the region.

The temperature hovered below normal by eight degrees each at Chandigarh and Ambala, seven degrees each at Karnal and Patiala, four degrees each at Ludhiana and shimla and three degrees at Amritsar.

Amritsar, where people groaned under intense hot weather conditions with mercury touching 43.2 degrees celsius yesterday, recorded a drastic fall in the temperature by 6.2 degrees. The mercury settled at 37.0 degrees in the town.

Other places in Punjab also reported a sharp fall in the mercury.

Patiala recorded 33.8 degrees and Ludhiana 37.4 degrees Celsius.

The temperature also declined in Haryana. Hissar, which usually turns out to be the hottest place in the state, registerd the maximum at 38.2 degrees celsius against 42.8 recorded yesterday.

Ambala and Karnal recorded 32.8 degrees and 33.0 degrees respectively. Ambala also reported trace rainfall till this morning.

Parts of Himachal Pradesh were lashed by rain that brought down considerable fall in the temperature. The temperature dipped to 20.0 degrees, four degrees below normal at state capital Shimla which recorded one mm rain till this morning. The mercury fell to 31.3 degrees at Sundernagar in Mandi district and to 18.6 degrees at Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district. Sundernagar recorded 14 mm rainfall.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana also recorded a drastic fall in the temperature. The mercury dropped to 31.8 degrees, eight degrees below normal in the city which also reported rainfall.

The Weather Office here predicted light to moderate rain or thundershowers at many places in Himachal Pradesh and few places in Punjab and Haryana during the next 24 hours.

Hailstorm or thundersquall with speed exceeding 65 km per hour is likely to occur at isolated places in the region during the period.

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