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Rainfall above normal in Punjab, Haryana
Chandigarh, September 17
The country’s top grain-producing states of Punjab and Haryana this season have already received above- normal rainfall after a gap of two years as the withdrawal of the monsoon from the North-West remains a week away.

Rain at isolated places in region

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Read under headings Max (maximum temperature), Min (minimum temperature), R (rainfall in past 24 hours) and TR (Total rain since June 1):

Rainfall above normal in Punjab, Haryana
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 17
The country’s top grain-producing states of Punjab and Haryana this season have already received above- normal rainfall after a gap of two years as the withdrawal of the monsoon from the North-West remains a week away.

‘’Haryana received 475 mm of rainfall against a normal of 455 mm and Punjab 505 mm against 450 mm between June and September 12,’’ Meteorological Department sources told The Tribune.

Himachal Pradesh with 756 mm against a normal of 840 mm and Chandigarh with 819.6 mm against 838.8 mm had deficient rainfall in the season.

The sources said the Bhakra dam catchment area had received satisfactory rainfall as per information provided by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).

They said humidity levels had drastically gone down and north-westerly winds had set in indicating that the monsoon was drawing to a close and it had withdrawn from western Rajasthan and parts of eastern Rajasthan.

The 2°C to 3°C fall in temperature during the past three days was caused by rainfall in Himachal Pradesh.

The sources said the monsoon was likely to withdraw from Punjab and Haryana within three or four days and in Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir three or four days thereafter. Mahendragarh (-27 per cent), Yamunanagar (-20 per cent), Sangrur (-39 per cent), Bathinda (-27 per cent), Faridkot (-25 per cent) and Ferozepore (-10 per cent) received deficient rainfall.

Ropar (+73 per cent), Ambala (+54 per cent), Jind (+50 per cent), Jalandhar (+43 per cent), Bhiwani (+39 per cent), Rewari (+34 per cent), Hoshiarpur (+21 per cent), Hisar (+17 per cent) and Sirsa (+4 per cent) received rainfall in excess.

Deficient rainfall was observed in a particular belt of Punjab (Malwa region), while in Haryana no pattern was noticed with less rainfall found in both south and north Haryana.

The sources said the below-normal temperature observed last week was not an indication of the early setting in of winter as it was a temporary phenomenon.

They said the temperature was likely to increase to a normal level of a minimum of 22°C this week, ending the temporary comfort provided by the change of weather.

Crop experts said favourable weather would lead to another bumper crop in the region.

They said even during the deficient rainfall years of 1999 and 2000, there were bumper crops.

New Delhi, September 17
Rainfall: Rain or thundershowers have occurred at a few places in Jammu and Kashmir and at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh, west Rajasthan and east Uttar Pradesh. The weather was mainly dry in the rest of the region. Birdghat, Khadda and Varanasi city (east Uttar Pradesh) each recorded 1 cm of rainfall.

Forecast valid until the morning of 19th September: Rain or thundershowers are likely at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir and east Uttar Pradesh. The weather will be mainly dry in the rest of the region.

Forecast for Delhi and neighbourhood valid until the morning of 19th September: Mainly clear sky. Strong surface winds during day time.

Farmers weather bulletin for Delhi: Forecast valid until the morning of 19th September: Sky will be mainly clear.

Outlook for the subsequent two days: No large change.