Chandigarh, June 14

Monsoon has hit the region early on a positive note with the agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana receiving higher than normal rainfall in June so far.

From June 1 to June 14, Punjab received 38 mm rain against the normal of 14.7 mm for this period, accounting for a surplus of 158 per cent, according to data compiled by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

In Haryana, rain was surplus by 146 per cent. The state received 33.7 mm rain against the normal of 13.7 mm for the aforementioned period. In Himachal Pradesh, the surplus was relatively lower at 26 per cent. The hill state received 42.2 mm rain against the normal of 33.5 mm for the said period.

However, due to approach of mid-latitude westerly winds further progress of monsoon over remaining parts of northwest India is likely to be slow, according to the IMD. — TNS