Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Several parts of Punjab could receive rain on Wednesday as the monsoon remains active over the region. The weather department has predicted isolated showers in nine districts, while Chandigarh is likely to experience cloudy spells with a possibility of rain or thunderstorms.
The districts under the rain forecast are Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar, Patiala and SAS Nagar (Mohali).
For Chandigarh, the forecast points to partly cloudy conditions. One or two spells of rain or thundershowers cannot be ruled out during the day.
Mercury Stays Above Seasonal Average
Rain activity has done little to bring temperatures down significantly. According to the Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, the state’s maximum temperature was broadly similar to Tuesday’s reading but remained 1.6°C above normal.
Bathinda recorded the highest temperature at 38°C, while Chandigarh’s maximum settled at 35.6°C.
With humidity likely to remain high in areas receiving rain, residents may continue to experience sultry conditions despite temporary relief during showers.
58.8 mm Rain in Chandigarh
Chandigarh witnessed the most substantial rainfall in the region on Tuesday, with 58.8 mm recorded during the day.
Sangrur received 12.5 mm, followed by Ludhiana with 8.9 mm. Scattered rain was also reported from parts of Mohali, Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Faridkot, though individual rainfall measurements were not available for these locations.
Monsoon Trough Keeps Rain Chances Alive
The weather system responsible for the current spell is linked to the monsoon trough, which remains active around Punjab.
A cyclonic circulation that had developed over north Haryana and neighbouring areas has now merged with the trough. The combination is expected to support isolated rain over parts of Punjab.
Chandigarh is likely to remain under cloudy skies, with brief rain or thundershowers possible. Although a Western Disturbance is also active, its influence over Punjab and Chandigarh is expected to be relatively weak.
Power Demand Crosses 13,600 MW
Punjab’s electricity demand remained elevated on Tuesday night, touching 13,674 MW.
The state generated 4,790 MW, while 8,880 MW was obtained from outside sources to meet consumption requirements. The external procurement was 377 MW above the stipulated level.
Reservoir Levels Remain Safe
The water levels at Bhakra and Pong dams remain below their danger marks despite continued rainfall in parts of the catchment areas.
Bhakra Dam stood at 1,633.61 feet, with an inflow of 35,447 cusecs and an outflow of 24,782 cusecs.
At Pong Dam, the water level was 1,365.44 feet. The reservoir was receiving 24,154 cusecs of water and releasing 16,362 cusecs.
Authorities are keeping track of reservoir levels and inflows as the monsoon continues to remain active across parts of Punjab and neighbouring regions.
