Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): A fresh spell of monsoon activity brought rain to parts of Punjab on Independence Day, bringing down daytime temperatures and leaving Chandigarh under a cloudy sky. The Meteorological Department has retained a Yellow Alert for Punjab and Chandigarh, with further showers possible in several areas.
The weather office has forecast rain at isolated places, particularly in Pathankot and Rupnagar, while Chandigarh may see one or two spells of rain or thundershowers.
Rainfall recorded across Punjab
Several districts received showers on August 14, with Patiala emerging as one of the wetter areas.
Rauni in Patiala recorded 35 mm of rain, the highest among the stations listed. Patiala city received 28.8 mm, while Ludhiana recorded 25 mm.
Other rainfall figures included 11.5 mm at the Ludhiana AWS, 5 mm at Thein Dam, 3 mm at KVK Pathankot, 1.5 mm in Bathinda, 0.8 mm in Chandigarh and 0.5 mm in Gurdaspur.
The fresh rain has also helped moderate temperatures across the state.
Punjab temperature falls by 3.3°C
The state’s average maximum temperature dropped by 3.3°C following the latest rainfall activity.
Even after the decline, Ferozepur remained the hottest location, recording 34.9°C. Overall, temperatures across Punjab were reported to be close to their normal range.
Cloud cover and additional rainfall are expected to keep daytime temperatures relatively subdued.
Monsoon trough strengthens activity
The current weather pattern is linked to an active monsoon trough, which is extending from the Ferozepur region towards Jharkhand and West Bengal.
The system is supporting cloud formation and rainfall over parts of Punjab and Chandigarh. An upper-air Western Disturbance is also influencing weather conditions, increasing the possibility of thunderstorms and intermittent showers.
The combination of the two weather systems is expected to keep the weather unsettled over the region.
Power requirement crosses 13,000 MW
Punjab’s electricity demand remained above the 13,000 MW mark on Saturday morning.
The state’s requirement stood at 13,203 MW, with 4,209 MW generated within Punjab. The remaining 8,995 MW was drawn from the grid.
The drawal was 393 MW lower than the scheduled 9,388 MW.
Dam levels rise but remain below maximum limits
With rainfall continuing across the region and upstream areas, water levels at Bhakra and Pong dams remain under observation.
The Bhakra Dam recorded a water level of 1,620.17 feet, compared with its maximum level of 1,680 feet. Its inflow was 44,394 cusecs, while 26,234 cusecs were being released.
At Pong Dam, the water level stood at 1,353.41 feet, against a maximum level of 1,390 feet. The reservoir was receiving 29,142 cusecs, with an outflow of 15,840 cusecs.
Although inflows remain significant, both dams are still below their maximum levels.
With another round of rain possible and the monsoon systems remaining active, authorities are continuing to keep a close watch on rainfall, reservoir levels and weather developments across Punjab and Chandigarh.
