Amid below-normal monsoon rainfall over the region, the weather department has predicted heavy rain in a few parts of Punjab and Haryana from September 1 to 5, for which a yellow alert has been issued.After about a week of relatively low monsoon activity, fairly widespread rainfall is also expected over Punjab and Haryana from September 3 to 5, according to a bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on August 31.The north-eastern and south-eastern parts of Punjab and the eastern belt of Haryana are likely to receive more rain than other areas of the two states during the week.The IMD described the monsoon activity over Punjab and Haryana as “weak” during the past 24 hours, with light to moderate rain occurring at some places and heavy rain reported at isolated locations. Day and night temperatures in both states also remained above normal.In Punjab, monsoon rainfall during August remained 35 per cent below the long-period average (LPA). From August 1 till the morning of August 31, the state received 94.5 mm of rain against the LPA of 146.2 mm for the period.Monthly rainfall remained below the LPA in all districts of Punjab except Gurdaspur, where it was 24 per cent above normal. The deficiency ranged up to 84 per cent, with Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Mohali and Jalandhar among the worst-affected districts.In Haryana, monsoon rainfall during the month was six per cent below the LPA, with the state receiving 138.8 mm of rain against the LPA of 147.7 mm. Rainfall was below the LPA in 11 districts, with Karnal, Jind and Kaithal being the worst affected.According to the IMD, a western disturbance persists over north Pakistan and the adjoining Jammu region at 5.8 km above mean sea level. The monsoon trough, a key rain-bearing weather feature, currently passes through Amritsar, Patiala and Najibabad.Under the influence of these systems, the IMD has also predicted fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh till September 2, and over Himachal Pradesh till September 4. Isolated to scattered rainfall is expected over these areas thereafter till September 6.