Rainless December in over 10 years

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 1

No rain was recorded in the city in December, which has happened after over 10 years. No December had gone rainless at least since 2011.

The Chandigarh Meteorological Department has data available only up to 2011. In the past decade, December 2014 saw the highest rainfall of 95.2mm, while the month saw the lowest rainfall of 2.0mm in 2015.

With no rain in December, the day temperature had remained higher than the normal, while the nights were colder.

The department attributed a rainless December to no strong western disturbances. “Western disturbances were not there. Even if they came, those were not strong enough to cause rainfall. Punjab and Haryana, however, had seen some rainfall. Plains did not see significant rains while hills had,” said Met Director Manmohan Singh.

Rain likely from Jan 5-7

The tricity is likely to experience rain between January 5 and 7. According to the Met Department, “A fresh active western disturbance and its associated cyclonic circulation are likely to affect the region from January 3. Under its influence, scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall is likely over Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh during January 5-7.”

However, no significant change in minimum temperatures is expected in the next 24 hours, but a gradual rise by 3°-5°C during the subsequent three days has been predicted. Hence, the minimum temperatures will be above normal to considerably above normal from January 4, said the weathermen.