CHANDIGARH, July 15 — Monsoon rainfall across Punjab this season has hovered just above average, even as neighboring Haryana and Himachal Pradesh recorded significantly higher precipitation, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
From June 1 to July 14, Punjab received 126.2 mm of rain—2 percent above the state’s long period average (LPA) of 123.3 mm. The uptick is slightly more pronounced in July alone, with 106.2 mm of rainfall recorded so far this month, about 4 percent higher than the typical 101.9 mm.
In comparison, Haryana saw a 38 percent excess in seasonal rainfall, while Himachal Pradesh registered a 21 percent surplus.
While Punjab’s state-level figures suggest near-normal rainfall, regional disparities remain stark. Of its 23 districts, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Ludhiana, and Mansa have recorded significantly above-average precipitation. Rainfall in these areas has exceeded the norm by margins ranging from 25 percent to as high as 166 percent.
On the other end of the spectrum, Kapurthala has recorded the lowest rainfall this season, facing a 69 percent deficiency. SAS Nagar and Muktsar have followed with shortfalls of 51 and 46 percent, respectively. Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Sangrur, and Nawanshahar are also grappling with rain deficits.
Ten other districts have reported rainfall within the normal range, defined by the IMD as deviations up to 20 percent above or below the LPA.
“Even within a state like Punjab, monsoon variability can be quite pronounced,” an IMD official said. “Some districts may receive torrential downpours while others face prolonged dry spells.”
In the past 24 hours, light to moderate rain has been reported across several parts of Punjab, accompanied by thunderstorms in isolated areas. Districts like Fazilka, Patiala, Bathinda, and Muktsar received rainfall above their daily average, whereas Kapurthala, Barnala, and Fatehgarh Sahib saw no rain.
The IMD continues to monitor monsoon activity closely, especially with erratic spatial distribution affecting agriculture and groundwater recharge in rain-fed areas.
