Maximum temperatures dip in Haryana, Punjab after rain

Chandigarh, March 13 (IANS) Maximum temperatures took a dip in some parts of Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday following rain and overcast conditions.Chandigarh and its surrounding towns of Panchkula and Mohali received light rain on Wednesday afternoon after the day started with overcast conditions.The maximum temperature in Chandigarh was 20.3 degrees Celsius, seven degrees below average. It was even lower than the 22.2 degrees recorded on Monday when rain lashed the city.On the other side, Ambala and Karnal in Haryana recorded highs of 20.7 and 21 degrees Celsius respectively, seven and six degrees below average.Narnaul and Hisar were hotter with highs of 24 degrees each, six and seven degrees below average.In Punjab, Amritsar saw a maximum temperature of 23.4 degrees Celsius, three degrees below the average while Patiala and Ludhiana recorded highs of 21.5 and 20.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, five degrees below average.The Met department has predicted more rain in some parts of the region on Thursday.Rain at this time is not considered good for the wheat crop in the agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana. Wheat is harvested around mid-April.
--IANS js/vd