Gurgaon: The city is likely to receive light to moderate rain on Sunday, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for several parts of the state. The rains can be accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, with wind gusts of 30 to 40 kilometers per hour. The IMD said the weather activity is due to a series of western disturbances affecting the western Himalayan region. Light to moderate rain is expected at many places in Chandigarh, Panchkula, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal, Mahendragarh, Rewari, Jhajjar, Mewat, Palwal, Faridabad, Rohtak, Sonipat, Panipat and Charkhi Dadri.
Also, a change in wind pattern is likely to increase minimum temperatures by 3-4 degrees Celsius in the next 24 hours. Cloudy and rainy conditions may reduce daytime temperatures by 2-4 degrees Celsius across the state, IMD said.While the minimum temperature could not be recorded at the city’s IMD observatory, Delhi’s Aya Nagar station, located near Gurgaon, recorded a minimum temperature of 6.6°C on Saturday, about 2 degrees below the seasonal normal. The maximum temperature was recorded at 20.1°C, slightly lower than the previous day’s 20.3°C.In January, Haryana received 19.6 mm of rain, 35% above the normal of 14.5 mm. Gurgaon recorded 19 mm of rain against an average of 10.6 mm, an excess of 76%. Only three districts reported deficient rainfall during the month: Sirsa, which received 3.2 mm, 63 per cent below normal, Sonipat, which recorded 11.8 mm, 32 per cent below normal, and Mahendragarh, which recorded 8.1 mm, 25 per cent below normal.The meteorological department said that a western disturbance, seen as a cyclonic circulation, is present over northern Afghanistan and the adjacent region at the lower and middle troposphere levels. An induced cyclonic circulation extends over central Pakistan at lower levels, with a trough extending from central Pakistan to northwestern Uttar Pradesh across Punjab and Haryana. Another upper-air cyclonic circulation is present over north Gujarat and nearby areas, strengthening conditions for rainfall and thunderstorm activity.“Under the influence of the western disturbance, many parts of the state are likely to receive light to moderate rain on Sunday, while isolated places may receive light rain on Monday. Cloud cover is likely to raise night temperatures, while day temperatures may drop,” an IMD official said.