Punjab Welcomes Winter with Light Rain, Mild Chill, and Improved Air Quality

Jalandhar( The Uttam Hindu): Rainfall has been witnessed in Punjab, while scattered light drizzle has been reported in some parts of Amritsar this morning. This has caused a marginal fall in temperatures in the entire region. The Meteorological Department has stated that a western disturbance trough has become active along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border but in a weakened state that has caused the brief spell of rain.

Although December has started, the cold temperature has yet to intensify, and other cities have warm afternoons because of sunlight. According to the weather department, a few places in Himachal Pradesh will experience rainfall and snowfall today and may make temperatures in Punjab drop marginally. In any case, the chances of heavy showers in the state in the next couple of days are ruled out.

On the positive side, stubble burning in Punjab and Chandigarh has reduced drastically, which has improved the air quality. According to government estimates, stubble burning has reduced by 70% this year. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Punjab has been below 200, with Bathinda reporting an AQI of 72 and Khanna at 97.