New Year rain breaks 31-day dry spell in Chandigarh Tricity, gives wet welcome to 2026
Light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning greeted residents of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula on New Year’s Day, ending a rare month-long dry spell in the Tricity and giving a wet welcome to 2026.
December 2025 had passed without a single drop of rain across the region — the first such occurrence since 2013 — making Thursday’s showers both unusual and widely welcomed. Rain and thunderstorm activity began around 8 am and continued intermittently till afternoon, with thick cloud cover hovering over the region throughout the day and the sun remaining elusive.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 13.7 mm of rainfall in Chandigarh between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm, the highest logged anywhere in Punjab and Haryana on the day. The showers also helped clear lingering dust and marginally improved daytime visibility, though these intensified the prevailing cold conditions.
Temperatures reflected the mixed impact of rain and cloud cover. Chandigarh’s maximum temperature dipped marginally by 0.2°C to settle at 15°C, remaining 3.2°C below normal, while the minimum temperature rose by 1.3°C to 9.7°C, which was 2.5°C above normal. Relative humidity levels stayed high, touching around 90 per cent, underscoring the damp conditions through the day. While the rise in night temperature brought brief relief, the colder daytime conditions reinforced the winter chill.
Across the region, Chandigarh emerged as the wettest spot, while most parts of Punjab and Haryana recorded only light rain or trace amounts. In Punjab, the highest maximum temperature was 17.6°C at Anandpur Sahib, while the lowest minimum temperature in the region dipped to around 6.8°C in Gurdaspur. In Haryana, Bhiwani recorded the highest maximum temperature at 18°C, while Narnaul was the coldest at night with a minimum of about 5.5°C.
The weather contrast was sharper in nearby hill areas, where conditions remained colder and cloudier. Shimla and adjoining mid-hills stayed under a dense cloud cover with lower day temperatures and a sharper chill, reinforcing the wintery feel across north India, though no significant precipitation was reported from the higher reaches during the day.
Looking ahead, the IMD has sounded an orange alert for the Tricity for the next two days, Friday and Saturday, warning of dense to very dense fog at a few places and cold wave conditions at isolated locations. From Sunday onwards, a yellow alert has been issued for the following four days, forecasting dense to very dense fog at a few places and cold wave conditions at isolated spots, while dense fog is likely at isolated places from Monday to Wednesday. Skies are expected to remain mostly cloudy, with dry weather prevailing after Thursday’s rain spell.
With the first rain of the year breaking a prolonged dry phase and resetting winter conditions, residents have been advised to remain cautious during foggy mornings and nights as reduced visibility and colder conditions are likely to dominate the Tricity’s weather in the days ahead.
