IMD forecasts heavy rainfall on Monday; yellow alert issued for Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain coupled with thunderstorm and lightning at isolated places in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana on Monday, August 18.

Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula experienced light to medium rainfall today as well, which dipped the mercury during the day by upto 5.9 degrees. Panchkula recorded the lowest minimum temperature in Haryana and Tricity.

While Chandigarh got 2.4-mm downpour, Mohali and Panchkula experienced a trace of 0.5-mm showers on Sunday. The continuous rainfall further deteriorated the poor condition of roads, with the potholes getting wider and deeper, posing danger.

Several roads and low-lying areas continued to witness waterlogging, which caused traffic bottlenecks and chaos especially in Zirakpur and Baltana areas.

Chandigarh recorded 28.8 and 26.4°C maximum and minimum temperature, which was 4.7 degrees below and 0.6 degree above yesterday’s reading, respectively.

While Mohali measured 28.9 and 26.5°C maximum and minimum temperature, respectively, Panchkula remained the coolest with 27.2 and 25.2°C day and night temperature, respectively. However, the relative humidity in Chandigarh remained 92 per cent.

The IMD has predicted partly cloudy skies with thunderstorms and rain in Tricity for the next five days till August 22, with the maximum and minimum temperature likely to remain between 30 and 25°C.

“As compared to yesterday, there was a fall of 2.1 and 1.9 degrees in average maximum temperature, which was below normal by 1.8 and 3.2 degrees in Punjab and Haryana, respectively, on Sunday,” the IMD said. The region’s highest maximum temperature of 35.4°C was at Bathinda in Punjab, followed by 34°C at Sirsa in Haryana.

The weathermen also observed light to moderate rain with heavy to very heavy rain at few places in Punjab and Haryana while extremely heavy downpour was reported from Pathankot in Punjab.