Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Rainfall activity is expected to remain intermittent across Punjab and Chandigarh as the monsoon continues to influence the region. Several parts of Punjab received showers on Thursday, while the weather office has forecast light to moderate rain at a number of places on Friday.
Chandigarh is likely to see partly cloudy conditions, with one or two spells of rain or showers possible during the day.
The rainfall brought some relief from the heat, with Punjab’s maximum temperature falling by 2.2 degrees Celsius. The average maximum temperature is now around 2.2 degrees below normal. Sri Anandpur Sahib recorded the state’s highest temperature at 36°C.
Despite the recent wet spell, Punjab has so far recorded a 30 per cent rainfall deficit during the current monsoon season.
Hoshiarpur tops rainfall chart
Hoshiarpur received the most rain among the locations monitored by the weather department on Thursday. The district recorded 18 mm of rainfall between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm.
Other locations also received varying amounts of rain. These included Ludhiana with 11.5 mm, Fatehgarh Sahib 11 mm, Chandigarh 10.7 mm, Ludhiana city 5.4 mm, the Bhakra Dam area 5 mm, Anandpur Sahib 0.5 mm and Patiala 0.4 mm.
Several parts of the state remained dry during the same period. No rainfall was reported from Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Sangrur and Tarn Taran, among other areas.
Two weather systems influencing Punjab
According to Meteorological Centre Chandigarh director Surendra Pal, the monsoon trough is currently positioned over the Ferozepur region, while a Western Disturbance continues to influence north-western India.
The interaction of these systems is expected to keep the weather unsettled for roughly the next week. While light to moderate showers could occur at multiple locations, isolated pockets may experience heavier rain accompanied by thunder and lightning.
The expected rainfall is also likely to restrict any sharp increase in temperatures and provide temporary relief from humid conditions.
Bhakra, Pong water levels rise
Rainfall has resulted in higher inflows into the Bhakra and Pong reservoirs. However, the water levels remain below their respective danger marks.
Bhakra Dam was at 1,607.95 feet, compared with its danger level of 1,680 feet. Its inflow was recorded at 41,392 cusecs, while the outflow stood at 22,693 cusecs.
At Pong Dam, the water level was 1,344.4 feet, against a danger mark of 1,400 feet. The reservoir was receiving 34,538 cusecs of water and releasing 13,450 cusecs.
Power consumption eases with rain
The cooler weather also brought down electricity demand in Punjab. Peak demand on Thursday was recorded at 13,080 MW.
Punjab’s own generation contributed 5,002 MW, while 8,119 MW was drawn from the national grid to meet the remaining requirement. The grid frequency was recorded at 49.98 Hz, with the state’s electricity supply continuing normally.
The weather department expects the monsoon systems to remain active over the region, making intermittent rain and sudden thunderstorms possible across parts of Punjab and Chandigarh in the days ahead.
