Mercury rises in Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh, June 20 (UNI) The mercury again rose in the plains of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Union Territory today but hovered one degree to three degrees celsius below normal in the region.

In Punjab, the maximum soared from 34.5 degrees to 38.8 degrees celsius at Amritsar but stayed one degree below normal. Patiala recorded 37.0 degrees which was three degrees below normal.

Ludhiana, which recorded a drastic fall in the temperature to 30.2 degrees celsius yesterday, registered a sharp increase in the mercury to 37.4 degrees.

The temperatures also rose in Haryana with Ambala recording 37.8 degrees, one degree below normal, and Karnal 36.0 degrees, down three degrees.

In Himachal Pradesh, the mercury settled at 33.1 degrees at Bhuntar in Kullu district while Shimla recorded 25.2 degrees, one degree above normal. The capital town measured five mm rainfall. The temperature hovered at 21.3 degrees celsius at Kalpa in tribal Kinnaur district.

The temperature also increased at Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana. The city which recorded 35.4 degrees yesterday registered 38.0 degrees today.

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

Western disturbance lay over Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Jammu and Kashmir as an upper air cyclonic circulation extended upto 5.8 km above sea level, according to the Met Office. The induced upper air cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan and adjoining northwest Rajasthan and Punjab now lay over Haryana and its neighbourhood, extending upto 2.1 km above sea level.

UNI VKJ SK DB2004