Punjab had its coolest May of last 15 years

Ludhiana, June 11 (UNI) This year the month of May in Punjab was the coolest in the last 15 years, with the lowest temperature 22.5 degrees celsius recorded on May 20.

Usually, May is usually the hottest month for Punjab region with average maximum temperatures around 38.5 degrees and minimum temperature around 24.7 degrees of the month. However, it is not uncommon for the maximum temperature to touch 43 degrees celsius and even 44 degrees on some days in the month of May in certain parts of the border state.

According to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), agro meteorologist, Dr (Mrs) K K Gill in the month of May this year the dust-storms / thunderstorms in association with eastward moving western disturbances provide relief from the oppressive heat.

During the second fortnight of May, Ludhiana city received 56.8 mm rain against the normal of 5.5 mm. Earlier it was in 1997 that 100 mm rainfall was received during this month but even then the lowest temperature was 26.4 degrees.

According to Dr Gill this usually cool and squally weather in May is a sign of climate change. The rainfall in May and even in the first week of June is good for the soil as well as Kharif crop, she added.

These conditions are good for paddy transplantation, which commenced of June 10 in Punjab. The current rains cannot be termed as pre-monsoon showers as these are due to influence of cyclonic circulations over Pakistan and adjoining Rajasthan, said the agro-meteorologist.

Elaborating the weather scenario during this period the Head of Department of Agricultural Meteorology, Dr G S Bains said that this year the behaviour of pre-monsoon season is slightly different as the month of April was characterised by fluctuations in temperature. The maximum temperature generally remained below normal during the first week of April and normal to slightly above normal during the middle of the month.

The maximum temperatures remained on the lower side in the beginning of April because of continuous rain in the first week when 50.2 mm rainfall was recorded in the city as compared to 2.9 mm during the same period of last year. The mean maximum and minimum temperature for April in and around Ludhiana was 34.1 degrees and 17.7 degrees respectively.

The highest maximum temperature recorded in April was 41.5 degrees on April 30. The city received a total of 50.2 mm rainfall due to westerly disturbances that moved across the region during first week of April.

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