E-Paper
IMD forecasts heavy rain in Chandigarh on August 13
Chandigarh residents woke up to a rainy morning on Friday, with 4.8 mm rain recorded at the IMD Sector 39 observatory, 46.2 mm rain at the airport and 15.5 mm rain at Panchkula
While the monsoon system has hit a lull in most parts of the country, it continues to remain active in Chandigarh and chances of heavy rain on Sunday have also been forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The city woke up to a rainy morning on Friday, with 4.8 mm rain recorded at the IMD Sector 39 observatory, 46.2 mm rain at the airport and 15.5 mm rain at Panchkula.
Another 0.4 mm rain was logged during the day in Sector 39 and 1 mm in Panchkula, while the reading from the airport was not available.
As per IMD, parts of the monsoon trough passes directly through Chandigarh, so a good amount of rain is expected here on Sunday. A Western Disturbance (WD) is also present in the region.
Because of the rain, the maximum temperature went down from 33.4°C on Thursday to 32.6°C on Friday. The minimum temperature also dipped from 27°C to 25.7°C.
Over the next three days, the day temperature will remain between 32°C and 34°C, and the night temperature between 26°C and 27°C.
Sukhna floodgate opened as water reaches near danger mark
The UT administration on Friday opened a floodgate of Sukhna Lake after its water level rose to 1162.90 feet, almost hitting the danger mark of 1163 feet.
UT chief engineer CB Ojha said following the morning rain, the water level reached near the danger mark and the floodgate was opened around 11 am. The floodgate was last opened on July 26, when the water level had touched 1162.52 feet.
Earlier on July 9, due to the heavy rain in the region, the engineering department had to open two of the lake’s three floodgates after the water level crossed the danger mark, causing the lake to overflow for the first time in the city’s history.
The department has deployed personnel at the regulator end on a 24x7 basis to monitor the water level of the lake.
A control room has been established to monitor discharge from the lake and coordinate with the deputy commissioners of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula for proper communication during the opening of floodgates, as Sukhna Choe carries excess water of the lake to Ghaggar river. Last year, floodgates were opened six times until September 26, 2022.
