Chandigarh: Punjab is likely to see isolated spells of rain on Sunday, but the weather is expected to remain largely hot and humid as rainfall continues to remain below normal across the state.
According to the Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, light to moderate showers may occur at isolated locations in Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Rupnagar and Mohali on August 30.
Chandigarh is also likely to remain partly cloudy, with the possibility of one or two spells of rain or thundershowers during the day.
Temperatures remain above normal
With limited rainfall over the past few days, temperatures have started climbing across Punjab. The state’s average maximum temperature increased marginally by 0.1°C and remained 2.1°C above normal.
Bathinda recorded the highest maximum temperature at 37.9°C, while temperatures elsewhere in the state remained between 33.1°C and 37.9°C.
The state has received 32% less rainfall than normal during the ongoing monsoon season, according to the latest figures.
Only isolated showers in past few days
Rain activity has remained subdued across most parts of Punjab. On Saturday, Pathankot and Ropar received around 1 mm of rain each, while rainfall was also reported from Amritsar but was not officially recorded.
The limited precipitation has done little to bring down daytime temperatures, leaving several parts of the state under hot and sticky conditions.
Monsoon systems keeping moisture in air
The monsoon trough is currently passing through Amritsar, while a Western Disturbance remains active over northern Pakistan and adjoining areas of Punjab.
These weather systems are helping maintain moisture in the atmosphere and could trigger rain in pockets of the state. However, meteorological conditions do not currently indicate widespread rainfall across Punjab.
Residents can therefore expect humid conditions, partly cloudy skies and isolated rain or thundershowers over the next period.
Power demand climbs with rising mercury
The increase in temperatures has also pushed up electricity consumption in Punjab.
Peak daytime power demand has touched around 15,071 MW. Punjab’s own generation is currently around 4,502 MW, while approximately 10,569 MW is being sourced from outside the state through the central grid.
In other words, roughly 30% of the state’s electricity requirement is being met through internal generation, while nearly 70% is being drawn from external sources.
With heat and humidity persisting despite the possibility of scattered showers, weather conditions and electricity demand are likely to remain closely linked in the coming days.
