The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced a fresh cycle of western disturbances that will bring intermittent rainfall to Haryana, Chandigarh, and Punjab from June 18 to 22. This weather system is expected to be of light to moderate intensity, with a greater impact on Haryana compared to Punjab.
IMD Forecast Details
Surender Paul, Director of IMD Chandigarh, stated that the rainfall will be sporadic from June 18 to June 22. He added that daytime temperatures are likely to remain stable across the region, though Punjab may experience higher temperatures than Haryana. There is no indication of heat wave conditions developing.
According to an IMD statement, the fresh western disturbance will affect northwest India from June 18 onward, leading to isolated to scattered rainfall over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi. Gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph are also expected at isolated locations.
Rainfall Deficit in the Region
The normal onset date for the monsoon in Haryana and Punjab is June 30. However, from June 1 to 17, many districts have recorded deficient rainfall. In Punjab, Barnala and Hoshiarpur saw 79% and 62% less rainfall than the long-term average, respectively. Other districts with deficits include Sangrur (-58%), Rupnagar (-53%), SAS Nagar (-48%), Fatehgarh Sahib (-46%), Patiala (-42%), Mansa (-34%), Pathankot (-34%), and Kapurthala (-21%).
In Haryana, Ambala recorded a large deficit of 66%. Other areas with below-average rainfall include Yamunanagar (-52%), Kaithal (-47%), Panchkula (-38%), Rohtak (-24%), and Faridabad (-20%).
Chandigarh received only 35.3 mm of rainfall from June 1 to June 17, which is 40% below the long-term average for this period.
