City receives heaviest rain since 2013

CHANDIGARH: With the 302.6mm rain received in July, the total amount of rain received during the monsoon season this year in the city (till July 31) comes at 472.9mm, making 2020 the year with the heaviest rain in six years (since 2013), as per data available with the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Although the monsoon period was hit by a lull for a short time, it is likely to gain momentum again after the second week of August, as per the IMD officials.

As per IMD, the monsoon season continues over four months, from June to September. Although there was marginally lesser rain in July this year as compared to last year (319.4mm), the total rain received during the monsoon period is still the highest since 2013 when 489.6mm of rain was recorded in the city. Normal monsoon rain for this period is 413.5mm.

Of the 302.6mm precipitation received in July, only 60.5mm of it was recorded after July 15.

This was mostly due to 49.9mm of rain received on July 30. Besides this instance of major downpour, the city only recorded a few drizzles here and there.

Speaking about this, regional IMD director Surender Paul said, “Monsoon arrived early in the region and there were multiple western disturbances

present as well. Their interaction with the north easterly winds led to an above average rainfall. However, now an anticyclonic movement is present over the city forming an airlock over it. Due to this, the city of Chandigarh hadn’t received rain even when stations in Punjab and Haryana had received a good amount of rainfall recently.”

Paul added that the approximately 3-kilometre long airlock over the city is likely to continue till the second week of August, due to which spells of heavy rainfall will remain unlikely in the city. “Some heavy spells of rain can be expected in the city after that, but chances for light to moderate rain will continue till then,” he added.

After 1.7mm of rain was recorded at the Sector 39 IMD observatory on Friday, the department has predicted light rain upto 20mm in the coming days along with cloudy weather and wind speeds upto 45 km/h.

The maximum temperature in the city went up from 31.5 degree Celsius on Thursday to 34.4 degree Celsius on Friday.

Minimum temperature went up from 24.9 degree Celsius on Thursday to 27 degree Celsius on Friday. In the next three days, maximum temperature will remain between 33 degree Celsius and 35 degree Celsius, while minimum temperature will remain between 26 and 28 degrees Celsius.