Mercury further dips in Punjab, Haryana

Chandigarh, May 20 (UNI) Mercury further dipped in the northwest India today following rain at many places, providing respite to people from rising temperatures in the region.

The rain brought down the mercury by one degree to 16 degrees celsius below normal in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Union Territory where dense clouds hung over several areas during the day.

The change in the weather has been attributed to western disturbance lying over Jammu and Kashmir and its neighbourhood as an upper air system and induced upper air cyclonic circulation over Central Pakistan and adjoining north-west Rajasthan, extending upto 2.1 km above sea level.

The Weather Office here predicted light to moderate rain or thundershowers at many places in Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh during the next 24 hours. Hailstorm or thundersquall with speed exceeding 45 km per hour is likely to occur at isolated places in the region during the period.

In Punjab, the maximum temperatures further declined in the wake of light to moderate rain at isolated places, including Nangal dam.

Patiala was cool at 23.9 degrees, 16 degrees below normal, while the holy city of Amritsar recorded the maximum temperature at 28.5 degrees, ten degrees below normal. Patiala, Balachour and Amritsar were also lashed by rain, respectively measuring 51.1 mm, 47.3 mm and 10.4 mm downpour.

Rains also lashed parts of Haryana, plummeting the temperatures.

The maximum dipped below normal by 16 degrees at Karnal, 14 degrees at Ambala and 11 degrees at Hissar, respectively registering 23.8 degrees, 26.2 degrees and 30.2 degrees following rain. Panchkula and Kalka areas were also swept by rain.

Parts of Himachal Pradesh also experienced rainfall last night, keeping the temperatures low. The maximum temperature settled at 32.4 degrees at Una, 31.2 degrees at Bhuntar, 30.2 degrees at Dharamsala, 28.4 degrees at Sundernagar and 23.4 degrees at Shimla.

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 13.6 mm rain overnight and the maximum temperature at 27.4 degrees, 11 degrees below normal.

UNI VKJ BK1915