Chandigarh, June 22 – The southwest monsoon, which was steadily progressing toward Punjab, has temporarily stalled in Himachal Pradesh. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported no movement in the past 24 hours. However, if favorable atmospheric conditions develop, the monsoon may enter Punjab later today.
As a precaution, the IMD has issued an orange alert for Pathankot and Hoshiarpur, warning of thunderstorms and heavy rain. A yellow alert has also been issued for 14 other districts, including Jalandhar, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, Ludhiana, Barnala, Sangrur, Mansa, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, and Rupnagar.
Light rain was recorded earlier today in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar. The state has also witnessed a dip in average maximum temperatures by 1°C. Despite this drop, temperatures remain 1.9°C below the normal average for this time of year. The highest temperature in Punjab, 38.8°C, was recorded in Bathinda.
Weather experts suggest that once the monsoon enters the state, a further drop in temperature is expected, along with more widespread rainfall activity.
The IMD has forecast active weather conditions in Punjab from June 22 to June 27, with chances of heavy to very heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds in several areas.
Citizens are advised to stay updated with local weather alerts and take precautions, especially in districts under orange and yellow warnings.