Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): After a brief rise in temperatures, Punjab is set for another spell of monsoon showers, with the weather office expecting rainfall activity to pick up from August 14. The Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, has warned of heavy rain at isolated places between August 14 and 18, meaning the weather could remain unsettled through Independence Day and the days that follow.
No formal rain alert has been issued for August 13, although showers cannot be ruled out anywhere in the state. Some parts of Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar and Patiala may receive light to moderate rain, while scattered showers are possible elsewhere.
Dry weather pushes mercury up
The relatively dry conditions witnessed on Wednesday brought a noticeable rise in temperatures. Punjab’s average maximum temperature increased by 4.6 degrees Celsius in a day.
The mercury touched 37.4°C at the Bhakra Dam site, making it the hottest location reported in the state. Pathankot recorded one of the sharpest increases, with its temperature rising by 9.8°C, while Chandigarh saw a rise of around 7°C.
The temperature increase comes against the backdrop of a significant rainfall shortfall. Punjab has received 195.1 mm of rain during the current monsoon season, around 32 per cent below normal.
Multiple weather systems could bring showers
The anticipated change in weather is linked to several systems developing over and around northern India.
A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is gaining strength and could intensify into a depression before moving in a northwesterly direction. A separate weather system is also active over southern Haryana.
A Western Disturbance continues to influence the region as well. The interaction of these systems is expected to increase rainfall activity over Punjab and Chandigarh, particularly between August 14 and 18.
While widespread heavy rain is not being forecast for the entire state, isolated areas could receive intense showers during the period.
Reservoir levels under watch
The water levels at Bhakra and Pong dams remain below their respective maximum limits for now.
Bhakra Dam’s water level was recorded at 1,616.2 feet, compared with its maximum level of 1,680 feet. Pong Dam stood at 1,351.73 feet, against a maximum level of 1,390 feet.
With inflows continuing, authorities are monitoring the situation closely. At present, the levels at both reservoirs remain below the danger threshold and do not indicate an immediate flood threat.
Power requirement remains high
The hot and humid conditions also kept pressure on Punjab’s power system. Electricity demand in the state reached 12,594 MW on Wednesday.
Punjab’s own generation contributed 4,341 MW, while another 8,254 MW was sourced from the central grid. The scheduled drawal was 8,238 MW, leaving the actual withdrawal around 16 MW higher than planned.
With another round of rain approaching, temperatures and electricity demand could fluctuate in the coming days as the monsoon pattern changes across the region.
