The monsoon is expected to spread to the entire state in two days, the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Chandigarh centre stated on Friday. It also issued an orange alert, forecasting very heavy rainfall in some parts of the state on June 30 and July 1. “The monsoon entered the state yesterday in Pathankot and is expected to spread to the other parts of state in more waves,” said IMD’s Chandigarh director Ajay Kumar Singh.
The monsoon travelled north from the Arabian Sea and hit a trough, changing its direction. This is how it entered the state from Pathankot. “Another wave of the monsoon will enter the state from Haryana soon,” said Singh.
The upcoming monsoon is expected to be stronger compared to the rainfall the state saw during the monsoon season from July to September. “This is going to be an above normal monsoon,” he said.
No more heatwave likely this year
The state can expect relief from the prolonged heatwaves as weather experts believe the temperature isn’t expected to cross 40° Celsius anymore. “With the onset of monsoon, the temperature is expected to not cross 40° Celsius,” said Ajay Kumar Singh, director of the IMD’s Chandigarh centre.
“However, if any special condition develops, the temperature may go beyond that,” he said. The state witnessed a 22-day long heat spell from May 15 to June 6 with the maximum temperature crossing 46 degrees Celsius. With the pre-monsoon showers early Thursday morning, a few areas received the much-needed relief.
{{/usCountry}}“However, if any special condition develops, the temperature may go beyond that,” he said. The state witnessed a 22-day long heat spell from May 15 to June 6 with the maximum temperature crossing 46 degrees Celsius. With the pre-monsoon showers early Thursday morning, a few areas received the much-needed relief.
{{/usCountry}}AAP govt ill-prepared, says Bajwa
The leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Friday rebuked the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab government for being “ill-prepared” to deal with the upcoming monsoon season. “The very first pre-monsoon shower has exposed the AAP government’s false claims of being fully prepared for the monsoon season in the state. Several parts of Ludhiana remained powerless and without water supply for hours on Thursday. A similar situation was witnessed in some other parts of Punjab,” he said.
The Qadian MLA said the people of Punjab, particularly the farmers, had to bear the brunt of the state government’s “apathy” last year too when it “failed to strengthen and repair the water channels and drains, following which floods wreaked havoc” in Punjab.