Chandigarh sizzles in monsoon: 13 per cent surplus rainfall brings bounty and burden

Chandigarh has concluded the southwest monsoon season of 2025 with an above-normal seasonal rainfall of 958.5 mm, approximately 13 per cent higher than the long-period average of 844.9 mm. According to the latest report from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the monsoon season began on June 24 and withdrew on September 24, delivering a classic four-month wet spell that was anything but even.

The season started with a surplus of 37 per cent in June, with 213 mm of rainfall compared to the normal 155.5 mm. However, July saw a significant shortfall, with the city recording only 184.8 mm, a 32 per cent deficit compared to the long-term mean of 273.2 mm. August brought relief with 308.5 mm of rainfall, around 8 per cent above normal. September proved to be exceptionally wet, with 252.1 mm of rainfall, nearly double the average.

The IMD data highlights the erratic and extreme distribution pattern of rainfall this year, reflecting a growing trend of climate variability. The seasonal total of 958.5 mm places 2025 among the wetter monsoon years of the past two-and-a-half decades. A review of IMD’s rainfall records for Chandigarh between 2000 and 2025 shows significant variability in the city’s monsoon rainfall. The wettest year was 2023, with 1,227.1 mm (45 per cent surplus), while the driest was 2014, with only 354.5 mm (58 per cent deficit).

The data also shows consecutive years of poor monsoons, such as 2015 and 2016, when deficits crossed 35 to 45 per cent, as well as back-to-back bounty years like 2010 and 2018.

The current year’s 13 per cent surplus puts it comfortably above the 25-year average, reinforcing the pattern of swings between deficit and excess.

While surplus rainfall helps replenish aquifers and supports greenery, it also exposes gaps in storm water infrastructure. Urban planners emphasise the need for building resilience through rainwater harvesting, drainage upgrades, and early warning systems to manage the fluctuations between monsoon surpluses and deficits that Chandigarh has experienced over the years.

Why September turned record wet this year

September 2025 will be remembered for its record-breaking rainfall in Chandigarh, with the city receiving nearly double its normal rainfall for the month. According to meteorologists, a rare alignment of monsoon systems led to this unusual weather pattern. A series of low-pressure areas developed over central India and moved northwards, bringing moisture to northwest India, including Chandigarh.

Unlike typical years when the monsoon weakens by mid-September, the monsoon systems remained active until withdrawal, resulting in excessive rainfall. Experts attribute this phenomenon to changing climate patterns, which are making September increasingly unpredictable for the region.

Surplus rains brought misery instead of relief

The surplus rainfall, instead of providing relief, brought misery to residents of Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula. Heavy downpours caused low-lying areas, markets, residential colonies, and arterial roads to flood, leaving commuters stranded and homes waterlogged. The city’s infrastructure was severely tested, with several stretches resembling flood zones and traffic crawling along damaged roads.

The Municipal Corporation’s ill-preparedness and poor drainage maintenance were heavily criticised, as repeated flooding exposed the city’s inadequate storm water infrastructure. Residents felt abandoned, left to navigate ankle-to-knee-deep water without adequate support from authorities. This situation turned what could have been a beneficial season of recharge into a civic nightmare.