With another rainless day in Chandigarh, deficit rises up to 42%

Even as the Met department had predicted 50% chance of rainfall on Tuesday, the clouds again skipped the city.

With the city witnessing another rainless day, the deficit in rainfall this monsoon went up to 42% on Tuesday.

Kabaddi players using towels to guard from the hot and humid weather during an inter-school competition at the stadium in Sector 42, Chandigarh, on Tuesday.(Keshav Singh/HT)

The weather department updates the deficit every day during the monsoon from June 1 to September 30.

“Between June 1 and July 18, the city should have received 287.2mm rainfall, which is based on the average of the last three decades,” said a meteorological department official. “But the city has received only 166.5mm. There is a shortfall of 120.7mm, which amounts to a deficit of 42%.”

Even as the Met department had predicted 50% chance of rainfall on Tuesday, the clouds again skipped the city.

For Wednesday, the department has predicted chances of rain by the evening or at night. Also, showers have been predicted for Thursday. “Our predictions are for a larger area, up to 50km from here. It is raining in the city’s neighbourhood,” said an official.  

Meanwhile, both the day temperature and humidity rose on Tuesday. The mercury went up to 37.4°C, four notches above normal, while the maximum relative humidity was recorded at 82%. On Monday, the two were recorded at 36.5°C and 75%.  

The normal is based on average of weather parameters for the last three decades.