CHANDIGARH, MAY 31 — A four-day wave of widespread showers across northwest India has completely erased Punjab’s significant rainfall deficit for the month of May, swinging the state from a severe shortage to an overall surplus.
Data released by the India Meteorological Department on May 31 showed that precipitation levels, which lagged 37 percent below the long period average just two days prior, have climbed to 25 percent above the historical baseline. A newly updated meteorological bulletin indicates that the current wet spell will persist over Punjab and Haryana until June 6, bringing scattered showers to several areas and canceling an earlier forecast of a three-day dry period.
From May 1 through the morning of May 31, Punjab recorded 21.6 mm of cumulative rainfall, outperforming its long period average of 17.3 mm for the same timeframe.
“Rainfall at a few places has been significantly above normal,” the meteorological report stated, noting that light to moderate downpours, accompanied by isolated thunderstorms and gusty winds, have kept seasonal temperatures well below standard levels.
The recent 24-hour deluge impacted almost every corner of the state, with Moga being the only district to remain entirely dry. Nawanshahr registered the highest volume of precipitation at 33.7 mm, followed closely by Ludhiana at 25.7 mm and Gurdaspur at 22.6 mm. Strong downpours exceeding 10 mm were also recorded in Fatehgarh Sahib, Jalandhar, Patiala, and Ropar.
The late-month surge has also bolstered long-term moisture levels, pushing Punjab’s total cumulative rainfall since March 1 to 22 percent above the long period average. Despite the state-level surplus, a few pockets continue to experience lingering localized shortages. Seven districts, including Patiala, Hoshiarpur, and Muktsar, still report seasonal precipitation deficits ranging between nine percent and 61 percent.
The heavy precipitation brought a noticeable drop in regional temperatures. Bathinda recorded Punjab’s highest maximum temperature over the 24-hour cycle at a mild 34.5 degrees Celsius, while also charting the state’s lowest minimum temperature at 18 degrees Celsius.
