Light rain lashes city, more likely today

The city received light showers on Wednesday and the weather observatory at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) predicted that more rainfall was likely over the next two to three days.
On Wednesday, the PAU observatory reported 8.5 mm rainfall in the city. With this, the August rainfall has risen to 78.1 mm, all of it being recorded in the second week. The normal rainfall for the first two weeks is 99.8 mm.
For August, the normal rainfall is expected at 190.2 mm.
According to Sompal Singh from the PAU’s department of agricultural meteorology, high atmospheric pressure led to light showers on Wednesday.
“The atmospheric pressure at present is around 980 mili bars. Once it goes below 970 mili bars, we can expect heavy showers,” he said.
The maximum temperature this week was recorded at 34.6 degrees Celsius, and the mercury settled at a low of 28.2 degrees Celsius. Officials said the temperatures were hovering around normal.
“A light to moderate rainfall is expected during the next two to three days,” Sompal Singh said.
Earlier, August opened on a dry note with just 0.8 mm rain in the first week.
The city also reeled under its driest and hottest July in the past five years.
Sompal Singh said, “This year, a low-pressure area which moves northwest and brings rains to our area was either weak or did not occur at all. This led to a rain deficit in the plains, including Punjab.”
“There was also no active western disturbance, which otherwise enhances rainfall in our region,” he added.
So far, the monsoon has been weak in the city.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted an above-normal monsoon this season.