Following a week-long period of intermittent rains over north-west India, a heat wave is expected to prevail over some parts of the region over the next four days, but a three-day wet spell subsequently at a few places could bring in some relief.
A heat wave is likely to occur at isolated places in Punjab and Haryana from June 8 – 11, a bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on June 7 said. A gradual rise in maximum temperature by 3-4 degrees for the next four days is also expected.
A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect the western Himalayan region from June 11. As a result, light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms lightning and gusty winds is possible at isolated places over Punjab and Haryana from June 11-13.
Most parts of these states experienced light to moderate showers since the last week of May, but rainfall for the month of June so far has been below the long period average (LPA) by 31 per cent in Punjab and 29 per cent in Haryana. From June 1 till the morning of June 7, Punjab received 3.9 mm rain against the LPA of 4.9 mm, while Haryana received 4 mm rain compared to the LPA of 5.6 mm for this period
Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds were also experienced at some places in both the states along with hailstorm as isolated places in Haryana over the past few days, generally keeping the day as well as night temperatures normal or below normal.
In Punjab, Barnala has remained dry so far this month. Rainfall has been below the LPA in 14 districts and above the LPA in six districts, with the wettest being Nawanshahar with 9.5 mm rain followed by Amritsar with 8.4 mm and Mansa with 6.2 mm, according to IMD data.
In Haryana, Sirsa is the only district that has not received any rain so far this month. Rainfall has been below the LPA in as many as 16 districts, but above the LPA in six districts. The wettest districts this month have been Palwal with 16.5 mm rain, Karnal with 11.3 mm and Rewari with 11.1 mm.
The western disturbance prevailing over Jammu and neighbourhood at 3.1 km above mean sea level as well as a trough from Punjab to the northeast Arabian Sea at lower levels have become less marked. An upper air cyclonic circulation lies over north Haryana and its neighbourhood.
Under the influence of these systems, isolated to scattered rainfall is likely over Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Uttarakhand till June 13. Isolated thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds with speed reaching 60 kmph are also expected over these areas during this period.
