The prevailing heatwave has abated from most parts of north-west India following an ongoing wet spell over parts of the region that is expected to continue till May 31. After subsequent three days of dry weather, more rain is expected over Punjab and Haryana in the first week of June.
Light to moderate rain is likely at many places on May 30 and at isolated places on May 31 and June 4 in the two states, according to a bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on May 29.
Over the past 24 hours, light to moderate rain occurred at some places in Punjab and Haryana, leading to an “appreciable fall” in day temperatures. Day temperatures remained near normal in both states, while night temperatures were near normal in Haryana but below normal in Punjab.
At the same time, IMD reported heatwave in Bathinda and Sirsa. The highest maximum temperature recorded in Punjab was 45 degrees Celsius at Bathinda and in Haryana it was 45.4 degrees Celsius at Sirsa.
Rainfall for May so far has been deficient in both states. From May 1 till May 29, Punjab received 10mm rain against the long period average (LPA) of 16 mm for this period, accounting for a deficit of 37 per cent.
Haryana received 17.1 mm rain in May against the LPA of 18.2 mm, marking a shortfall of 6 per cent. Seasonal rains since March 1, on the other hand, have been surplus by 14 per cent in Haryana and by 3 per cent in Punjab.
According to IMD, a western disturbance in middle tropospheric westerlies with its axis at 5.8 km above mean sea level prevails over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and adjoining Tibet, while an upper air cyclonic circulation lies over central Pakistan and its neighbourhood in lower tropospheric levels.
A trough from the cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan runs to the northeast Arabian Sea in lower tropospheric levels and another trough runs from central Pakistan to the interior of Odisha in lower tropospheric levels.
Under the influence of these systems, IMD has also predicted that scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds is likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh on May 30.
A thunder squall, with wind speed reaching 80 kmph is expected over Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Delhi on May 30. Isolated hailstorm activity is also likely over these areas on May 30.
