Rains lash Punjab, Haryana, Delhi remains dry

New Delhi, Sep 12 (UNI) Rains lashed parts of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, while the capital reeled under sultry conditions.

Several areas of Himachal Pradesh, including mid and lower hills, were lashed by rain which brought down considerable fall in the temperature in the hilly state.

Shimla and its adjoining areas were also hit by rainfall with the capital town recording 0.9 mm downpour till this morning.

In Punjab, moderate rain pounded Nangal dam site recording 14.8 mm downpour while Balachour measured 4.1 mm rainfall till this morning. However, rains eluded Haryana and Chandigarh Union Territory.

Hot and humid conditions persisted in the capital leaving people perspiring under the burning sun.

It was another day of predominantly sunny weather with brief cloudy intervals as the maximum temperature hovered at 36 degree Celsius, nearly two degrees above normal.

Sultry conditions, witnessed in Delhi for the last nearly a week, continued following a high humidity level of nearly 50 per cent.

Some relief was, however, provided by the North Westerly winds.

The southwest monsoon has been active over sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Kerala but subdued over Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Despite some rain last evening, Kolkatans continued to bear the wrath of a hot and sultry climate.

Heavy rains are likely to occur at most places in coastal Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep and at many places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim.

Rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at many places in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and at a few places in the Gangetic West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Konkan, Goa, central Maharashtra, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalseema, interior Karnataka and at isolated places in Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

However, dry weather conditions will prevail over Rajasthan and Gujarat.

In Delhi, Met department has forecast a partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain or thundershowers in some areas during the next 24 hours.

UNI Team SI RP RK1950