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Chandigarh’s wait for monsoon gets longer
Monsoon’s onset in Chandigarh has already been delayed by three days; it is likely to reach the city within the next two to three days, as per IMD
Even as monsoon’s onset in the city was expected by the normal date of June 27, the city would have to wait for two to three days more for its arrival, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
As per IMD Chandigarh director AK Singh, monsoon is right around the corner. “The humidity of the city has increased significantly in the past couple of days that shows that monsoon is close. Even on Saturday, it rose up to 72%. Monsoon entered northern Punjab around Pathankot on Friday and entered parts of southern Haryana after that,” he said.
Speaking about the delay in monsoon’s arrival, Singh added, “For a complicated system like the south-west monsoon, many factors are at play. A delay of three to four days isn’t considered a delayed monsoon as per IMD.”
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The monsoon system had hit a bit of a lull between June 10 and June 20, after which interestingly, the monsoon covered more ground from the eastern side than the southern side, which is why monsoon was declared in Pathankot before it was declared in New Delhi.
The onset of monsoon is declared when the monsoon system enters the region, and it rains continuously for two days as a whole over the region. The prevailing wind systems in the region are also important for declaring its arrival.
Premonsoons are defined as the showers in the city that start 48 hours before monsoon is declared. Easterly and south-easterly winds become predominant during this time. Till now, 9.9 mm rain has been recorded in the city this June, which is 93.4% below normal for the corresponding period.
On Saturday, monsoon entered remaining eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of western Uttar Pradesh.
Mercury rises by 2 notches
Meanwhile, as the monsoon continued to evade the city, the maximum temperature rose from 37.3°C on Friday to 39.2°C on Saturday, 2.9 degrees above normal. The minimum temperature also climbed from 28.2°C to 29.7°C, 3.1 degrees above normal.
For Sunday, IMD has forecast heavy rain over 60 mm. While the system is likely to become weaker from Monday, rain is expected daily for the next three to four days.
UT, MC officials inspect monsoon preparedness
UT chief engineer CB Ojha, along with officers from the engineering department, conducted a site visit to Patiala Ki Rao on Saturday to inspect the ongoing work in preparation for monsoon.
During the visit, the chief engineer directed the officers concerned to expedite the cleaning and desilting operations at the season stream. This essential work is aimed at ensuring the channel remains clear and capable of handling increased water flow during the rains. It was also instructed to remove the bushes and vegetation to avoid blockage of water during rains.
To ensure sanitation services in the city and to prevent drainage blockages during the upcoming monsoon, MC chief engineer Narinder Pal Sharma also inspected road gullies with a team of engineers concerned on Saturday and directed the team to install wire mesh at entry points to stop garbage flow with proper grouting.
