CHANDIGARH – A powerful weather system has plunged Punjab into a state of agricultural crisis this week, as unseasonal rains, hailstorms, and high-velocity winds battered the state. While the downpour provided a sharp reprieve from the rising summer heat, it has left the farming community in distress, with tens of thousands of acres of ripening wheat and mustard crops now soaked or flattened.
Climate Shock: Temperatures Plummet
The state witnessed a dramatic shift in weather patterns over the last 24 hours. Thunderstorms caused the maximum temperature to crash by over 5.1°C in a single day, settling at roughly 8.7°C below the seasonal average across Punjab.
Amritsar recorded the most extreme shift, with the mercury hitting just 21.7°C—a staggering 10.2°C below normal. Even the state’s warmest pocket, Bathinda, only reached a maximum of 28.6°C.
Agricultural Crisis: 40,000+ Acres Affected
The timing of the storm could not be worse for the “Granary of India.” With the majority of the wheat harvest standing ready in the fields or arriving at mandis (grain markets), the moisture poses a severe threat to grain quality.
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Fazilka has emerged as the worst-hit district, with an estimated 40,000 acres of crops affected by waterlogging and hail.
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Mandi Crisis: Open-air grain markets were caught off guard, leaving heaps of procured and unprocured grain drenched.
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Quality Concerns: Experts warn that excessive moisture can lead to grain discoloration and shrivelling, potentially affecting procurement prices for farmers.
Rainfall Data by Location
According to the Meteorological Department, the distribution of rainfall was widespread:
| District | Rainfall Recorded |
| Fazilka | 12.0 mm |
| Pathankot | 5.5 mm |
| Faridkot | 3.3 mm |
| Patiala | 2.6 mm |
| Amritsar | 2.0 mm |
Orange Alert: 17 Districts on High Alert
The Meteorological Department has extended an Orange Alert for today, warning of continued volatility. Winds gusting between 40 to 50 km/h and localized hailstorms are expected in the following 17 districts:
Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar, Moga, Barnala, Mansa, Sangrur, and Fatehgarh Sahib.
Looking Ahead: Relief on Thursday
In a rare piece of good news, weather models indicate that the western disturbance is moving out of the region. A return to dry weather is forecasted starting Thursday, which should allow farmers to resume harvesting activities and begin the process of drying out their grain.
Official Advisory: Farmers are urged to cover harvested produce with waterproof polythene sheets and delay further cutting until the fields have dried sufficiently to prevent grain rot.
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