Widespread rainfall is expected across Punjab until July 30, while the state’s monsoon deficit has further reduced following widespread showers across many areas over the past three days.Light to moderate rainfall is likely at many places on July 25 and then from July 28 to 30, with scattered rainfall in the two-day interim period according to a bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on July 24.Heavy rainfall is expected at a few places in the state on July 25, 27 and 30, for which a yellow alert has been issued, while heavy to very heavy rainfall is possible at some places on July 28 and 29, for which an orange alert has been issued.Over the past 24 hours, light to moderate rainfall occurred at many places in Punjab, while, thunderstorms and gusty were also observed at isolated places in the state, the IMD said while reporting the Monsoon activity over Punjab as normal. In addition, heavy rainfall has been recorded over the neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.During this period, Punjab received an average of 6.6 mm rain, with the wettest district being Gurdaspur with 24.6 mm rain, followed by Muktsar and Faridkot with 15.6 mm and Amritsar with 14.4 mm. Mohali, Sangrur and Mansa were the only ares that remained dry.Day as well as nigh temperatures in the state were normal, with the highest maximum temperature being 36.6 degrees Celsius at Bathinda and the lowest minimum being 24.5 degrees Celsius at Pathankot.From July 1 till the morning of July 24, Punjab has received 97.2 mm rain against the long period average (LPA) of 125.8 mm for this period, marking a deficit of 23 percent. The shortfall was 38 percent earlier this week.The Monsoon, which touched the region on July 1, is below the LPA in 17 districts of the state, with the deficiency ranging up to 71 percent. Amritsar, Faridkot, Gurdaspur, Moga and Pathankot are the only districts where the Monsoon has been above the LPA so far.According to IMD, the Monsoon trough, a key rain bearing seasonal feature, is south of its normal position and another trough runs from south-east Rajasthan to Jammu. A western disturbance is also prevailing over central Pakistan.Under the influence of these weather systems, fairly widespread to widespread rainfall, along with isolated thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds with speeds reaching 50 kmph, is also likely over Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh till July 30. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall may also be experienced at a few places in these states during this period.