Chandigarh drenched by record 46 mm rain, orange alert fades as dry spell looms

Chandigarh recorded the region’s heaviest rainfall overnight, with the Chandigarh airport station logging a significant 46 mm.

Chandigarh’s airport station recorded 46 mm of rain in the 24 hours up to Wednesday morning – the highest in the region – while the city observatory logged 38.3 mm. Mohali saw 35.5 mm, the second highest.

While the city woke up under an orange alert, the day passed off quietly as the storm threat subsided. Residents of the Tricity—Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula—witnessed a mix of partly cloudy skies, light to medium breezes, and brief intervals of sunshine as the sun played hide-and-seek with the clouds.

The Tricity remained largely dry during the daylight hours on Wednesday, while the day saw light to moderate rain at most places across Punjab and Haryana. The weather took a localized turn for the worse in some areas, with hailstorms hitting isolated pockets of Punjab. Thunderstorms and lightning were reported at many places across both states, raising the hackles of the farming community who are staring at potential losses due to damage caused to their standing and harvested wheat crops across the countryside.

In response, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already ordered a special girdawari (revenue survey) to assess crop damage and ensure aggrieved peasants are compensated as per government norms.

The heavy downpour led to a dramatic shift in local temperatures and humidity levels. In Chandigarh, the maximum temperature reached only 24.2°C, which was markedly below normal by 9°C, while the minimum temperature plunged to 13.4°C, sitting 5°C below the seasonal average. The relative humidity peaked at 100%. Mohali recorded a maximum temperature of 24.3°C, which was 3.4 notches less than yesterday’s reading while the minimum settled at 14.2 degree Celsius after dipping by 5.4 degrees. Since March 1, Chandigarh has received a total of 71.6 mm of rain, representing a staggering 233% departure from the normal seasonal rainfall.

Across the wider region, Punjab’s average maximum temperature was markedly below normal by 7.2°C.

The highest and lowest temperature in the state was 31.5°C and 12.2°C at Bathinda. In Haryana, the maximum temperature was markedly below normal by 8.1°C. Bhiwani recorded the state’s highest maximum at 30.4°C, while Mahendragarh remained the coolest with a minimum of 14.1°C.

The India Meteorological Department has confirmed that the orange alert has passed. Starting Thursday, April 9, the region is expected to enter a prolonged dry spell with no further alerts issued as of this evening. The forecast for the Chandigarh Tricity indicates a gradual warming trend; Thursday will see a partly cloudy sky with temperatures between 13°C and 26°C. From Friday through Monday, the sky will remain mainly clear as maximum temperatures climb steadily from 28°C to 31°C. Weather conditions across the rest of Punjab and Haryana are also expected to remain dry for the next seven days.

FARMERS HIT HARD

While most places in Punjab and Haryana received light to moderate rain, isolated hailstorms in Punjab and widespread thunderstorm/lightning have raised concerns among farmers. Standing and harvested wheat crops have suffered damage, prompting Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to order a special girdawari (revenue survey) to assess losses and compensate affected peasants as per norms. Farmers, however, remain worried as they await compensation for crop damage.