Chandigarh witnesses season’s warmest night

Wednesday night remained the season’s warmest night in Chandigarh, with the minimum temperature soaring to a record high of 31.8°C, which was the highest reading in the region, comprising all parts of Punjab and Haryana.

None of the other 60 weather stations of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) spread across Punjab (26) and Haryana (34) recorded the minimum temperature on Wednesday night as high as 31.8°C, which the department’s observatory at Sector 39 here recorded.

The minimum temperature in Chandigarh on Wednesday night shot up to 31.8°C, which was 0.1 degree more than Tuesday night’s minimum reading of 31.7°C and above normal by 5.5°C.

According to the IMD, a maximum temperature reaching 40°C and a minimum temperature departure between 4.5°C and 6.4°C indicate warm nights. Severe warm nights occur when the minimum temperature departure exceeds 6.4°C, which seems not too far in Chandigarh.

Even as the maximum day temperature on Thursday dipped by 0.2 degree as compared to Wednesday, the severe heatwave swept the tricity region, forcing the residents to stay indoors, especially during the peak afternoon hours.

It was the fifth consecutive day on Thursday when the locals braved the scorching sun with the mercury hovering over the 40°C mark since Sunday. Tuesday had recorded the maximum temperature of 44°C, which had remained the season’s hottest day here so far.

With the weathermen already issuing a red alert for severe heatwave at many places and warm nights in Chandigarh and at isolated places in Punjab and Haryana till Friday, the heatwave was today observed in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Hisar and Narnaul in the region. Besides Chandigarh, warm nights were also recorded in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Ambala, Rohtak, and Narnaul in the region.

With no immediate relief from the intense heatwave conditions in sight till next week, the IMD on Thursday re-issued a red alert for severe heatwave and warm night in Chandigarh and at many places in Punjab and few places in Haryana on Friday.

The weathermen also re-issued orange alert for heatwave coupled with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds at 40-50 kmph speed at isolated places in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana on Saturday, and yellow alert for thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds at 40-50 kmph speed at isolated places in the region on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

According to the Meteorological Centre Chandigarh, the department’s observatory at Sector 39 here recorded the highest maximum temperature of 41.7°C while another observatory at the Indian Air Force (IAF) airport logged 41.4°C on Thursday.

The MeT department has predicted no major change in the maximum temperature for the next five days in the region with warm night conditions likely to continue till Saturday.

It said the temperatures in Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula will remain maximum between 40 and 42°C and minimum between 30 and 32°C with no possibility of rain for the next five days.

“Maximum temperatures will remain between 46 and 48°C over southern and southwestern parts of Punjab and Haryana, leading to severe heatwave conditions in the region till June 14,” the IMD said, while predicting respite from scorching heat wave likely after June 14 when mercury will fall by 2 to 4 degrees.

“In view of the heat wave and warm night conditions during the next few days, all are advised to take adequate precautions,” the weathermen said.

Panchkula coolest in Tricity

Panchkula remained the coolest place in the Tricity region on Thursday with maximum temperature of 39.3°C and minimum of 30.3°C while Mohali stood second with maximum of 40.5°C and minimum of 30°C. Chandigarh stayed on the top to beat the heat of its both satellite towns.