Punjab Haryana See 69% and 35% Above Normal Rainfall in January

Punjab and Haryana experienced higher-than-normal rainfall in January, accompanied by bitter cold and dense fog, the Meteorological Department reported on Saturday. Faridkot emerged as the coldest location in Punjab, recording a minimum temperature of 3.8 degrees Celsius, while dense fog reduced visibility across several cities, disrupting traffic and morning routines.

According to the weather office, Punjab recorded 34.4 mm of rainfall this month, 69% above the normal 20.3 mm expected for January. Several districts, including Amritsar, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, and Moga, received excess rainfall. However, Bathinda and Faridkot reported below-normal precipitation. Chandigarh, the joint capital of the two states, received 63.6 mm of rainfall, also 69% above the average, and woke up to thick fog, with the minimum temperature dropping to 7.7 degrees Celsius.

Haryana recorded 19.6 mm of rainfall in January, exceeding the normal 14.5 mm by 35%. Excess rainfall was reported in Ambala, Bhiwani, Gurugram, Fatehabad, Hisar, Jhajjar, Karnal, Panchkula, Panipat, and Yamunanagar, while Charkhi Dadri, Sirsa, and Sonipat received below-normal precipitation. Karnal emerged as the coldest location in Haryana, with a minimum of 4.5 degrees Celsius, followed closely by Hisar at 4.9 degrees and Bhiwani at 5.5 degrees.

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The cold spell affected daily life across both states. Bathinda recorded a low of 4 degrees Celsius, while Ludhiana and Patiala registered 5.4 and 5.6 degrees, respectively. In Punjab’s northern districts, Amritsar recorded 6.2 degrees and Gurdaspur 6 degrees. Fog was widespread, reported in Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana, and several cities in Haryana, including Ambala, Karnal, and Hisar.

Weather officials warned residents to exercise caution, particularly while traveling, due to the combination of icy conditions and low visibility. They noted that this unusual weather pattern is part of a broader climatic trend affecting northern India, with heavier rainfall and lower-than-normal temperatures continuing to impact agriculture, transportation, and daily life in the region.

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