Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab is likely to experience another day of high humidity and warm temperatures, with rainfall expected only in select areas as monsoon activity over the state remains subdued. The weather office has forecast light to moderate showers at isolated places across 12 districts.
The areas that could receive rain include Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar, Patiala and Mohali. Despite the possibility of showers, the overall rainfall pattern is expected to remain weak.
Chandigarh is likely to remain partly cloudy, with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers possible. The maximum temperature in the city dipped slightly but continued to stay above normal. It fell by 0.4°C while remaining 1.9°C higher than the seasonal average.
Faridkot was the hottest place in Punjab, recording a maximum temperature of 38.3°C.
Most of Punjab remains dry
The state has witnessed little rainfall in the last three days, resulting in uncomfortable humidity levels. Patiala recorded only 1 mm of rain, while several other districts remained dry. Day temperatures in most areas continued to remain above 33°C.
The weather is expected to stay warm in the coming days. Until September 3, maximum temperatures in Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Mohali, along with parts of Ludhiana and Patiala, are likely to remain between 34°C and 36°C.
Northern and central Punjab could see temperatures of 36°C to 38°C, while southern and southwestern districts may experience highs approaching 40°C.
Sukhna Lake water level prompts gate opening
While Punjab has largely remained dry, rainfall in Himachal Pradesh has affected Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake. The water level rose to 1162.95 feet, prompting authorities to open a radial gate.
The opening marked the first such instance after the lake’s water level reached the specified level.
Rainfall may remain below normal
The monsoon trough is currently passing through Amritsar and may bring isolated light showers to parts of Punjab. A Western Disturbance over northern Pakistan and the Jammu region is also active, but its impact on Punjab and Chandigarh is expected to be limited.
Weather conditions are therefore likely to remain largely dry, with rainfall expected to stay below normal during the first half of the week.
Heat pushes Punjab’s power demand above 15,000 MW
The combination of persistent heat and humidity has also placed additional pressure on the state’s electricity network. Punjab’s power demand crossed 15,000 MW for the third straight day, reaching 15,027 MW by Monday morning.
Demand is expected to increase further during the afternoon as temperatures rise. At the time, the state was generating around 4,346 MW of electricity and meeting the remaining requirement by drawing approximately 10,683 MW.
