Night temperatures: Night temperatures in various parts of the country still continued to remain above normal despite the approach of the winter season.In the weekended November 18, night temperatures were above normal by 4 to 6 degree centigrade in MP, east UP, Bihar, Orissa, West Bengal, Sikkim and northeastern states during the second half of the week. They were nearly normal elsewhere in the country. The lowest minimum temperature in the plains of the country was 7.6 degree centigrade recorded at Amritsar in Punjab on November 17, 1998.

The weather was dry over the region around Delhi and Haryana. On November 20, the night temperatures changed a little in Delhi and Haryana, but they were markedly above normal in east UP, appreciably above normal in Haryana, Rajasthan and west UP and normal in the rest regions of north India.Monsoon review: A low pressure area was formed over south-east Bay of Bengal on November 13. It concentrated into a depression on the morning of November 14 and lay centred about 600 km south-east of Machilipatnam.

The system further intensified into a cyclonic storm over west-central Bay of Bengal in the afternoon of November 14. OnNovember 15, the system intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm and was located about 220 km south-west of Vishakhapatnam.

Moving in a north-westerly direction, it crossed Andhra Pradesh coast near Visakhapatnam in the evening of November 15.

Thereafter, it weakened into a deep depression and was located about 110 km south-east of Raipur on the morning of November 16. It moved further in a north-westerly direction, weakened gradually and became unimportant on November 17.

Another low pressure area formed over Andaman Sea in the morning of November 17, became well-marked in the same evening and persisted over the same area on November 18.

During the week ended November 18, rainfall occurred at most places in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and at many places in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, east MP and Lakshadweep. Rainfall also occurred at a few places in east UP, coastal Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and at isolated places in Konkan and Goa, central Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Telangana,Rayalaseema, interior Karnataka, west MP, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim. Weather remained mainly dry in the rest regions of the country.

During the period October 1 to November 18, the cumulative rainfall was normal to excess in 34 out of 35 meteorological sub-divisions of the country.Monsoon forecast: Fairly widespread rain with isolated heavy rain is likely over Orissa, West Bengal, Sikkim and northeastern states.

For Delhi and the neighbourhood region the sky will remain mainly clear with fog in the morning. There will be not much change in the night temperature.Rain or snow is likely at isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and the hills of west UP.

Earthquake report: An earthquake of slight intensity having its magnitude 3.5 on the richter scale occurred at 18 hours 12 minutes on November 19 with its epicentre at latitude 30.50 degree north and longitude 79.50 degree east in the hills of west UP region.

Crop situation: Wheat: The sowing of wheat in wheat growing states haspicked up. The normal area under wheat is 25.55 million hectare. The total reported coverage under wheat so far is 3.06 million hectare as compared to 1.45 million hectare covered during the corresponding period in the previous year.