Tricity reels under one-hour deluge, Chandigarh airport records 121 mm rain
Heavy to very heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorm, lightning brings traffic to standstill at several points; IAF airport records highest rainfall in Punjab-Haryana region, while IMD retains yellow alert till Thursday
A one-hour spell of heavy to very heavy rain turned into a deluge across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula on Sunday afternoon, bringing relief from the heat but triggering widespread waterlogging, traffic disruption and power and water supply interruptions across the Tricity.
The rain began around 1 pm, accompanied by loud thunderclaps and lightning, and continued for more than an hour. The intensity was particularly high in several parts of Chandigarh and Mohali, while Panchkula also received a substantial spell.
The IMD evening bulletin, which records rainfall data up to 5.30 pm, showed the Chandigarh IAF Airport observatory receiving 121 mm, the highest rainfall recorded at any listed station in Punjab and Haryana. The Chandigarh city weather observatory recorded 38.3 mm, while Panchkula received 18.5 mm. The evening bulletin did not record any rainfall for the Mohali AWS, although heavy rain was reported in several parts of Mohali during the afternoon.
The IMD classifies rainfall of 115.6-204.4 mm as very heavy, placing the airport’s 121-mm reading in that category.
Waterlogging exposes drainage gaps
The downpour quickly overwhelmed low-lying stretches, roads, streets, markets, parking lots, rotaries and busy junctions across the Tricity.
The Railway underpass in Industrial Area Phase I, Tribune Chowk, GMCH-32 Chowk, Madhya Marg, ISBT-17, parts of Sector 18 and the ISBT-43 parking area and approach road were among the affected stretches. Water accumulation was also reported around Zirakpur Chowk, while several parts of Mohali and Panchkula along the path of the Sukhna Choe were inundated.
Some stretches were left with knee-deep water, forcing closure or diversion of routes and adding to traffic congestion. The situation once again brought the inadequacies of the Tricity’s storm-water drainage network into focus as the system struggled to cope with the intense spell.
The heavy rain also disrupted power and water supply in major parts of Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula for several hours, adding to the inconvenience caused by the weather.
Sharp change from Saturday heat
The rain brought a marked change in weather conditions a day after Chandigarh recorded the highest maximum temperature in the Punjab-Haryana region at 36.8°C, 3.7°C above normal. On Sunday, the city observatory’s maximum fell to 34.8°C, which was 2°C below yesterday’s reading but 1.6 notches above normal.
The city recorded a minimum temperature of 24.9°C, 0.2°C below yesterday’s mercury but still 0.5 degree above normal. Mohali’s maximum was 34.6°C, 1.3°C below yesterday’s reading, with a minimum of 26.7°C. Panchkula recorded a maximum of 32.7°C, 2°C below yesterday’s temperature, and a minimum of 25.3°C, 0.1°C above previous night’s mercury.
Chandigarh’s relative humidity climbed to 94 per cent, compared with a minimum of 61 per cent recorded during the day.
Rain adds to seasonal total
The Chandigarh city observatory had recorded no rain in the 24 hours ending 8.30 am Sunday, but received 38.3 mm between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm.
Its seasonal rainfall stood at 659.3 mm at 8.30 am, with the deficit at 18.6 per cent. The 38.3-mm afternoon spell took the cumulative seasonal total to about 697.6 mm by 5.30 pm, a substantial addition in a single day.
Yellow alert retained till Thursday
The IMD has retained its warning of thunderstorm/lightning and heavy rain at isolated places in Chandigarh and Haryana from September 13 through September 17, with no warning for September 18-19.
For the Tricity, thunderstorm with rain activity is forecast through September 18, with maximum temperatures of 35°C on Monday, 34°C on Tuesday and Wednesday, 33°C on Thursday and 34°C on Friday. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain between 24°C and 25°C.
The seven-day forecast puts Chandigarh in the scattered rainfall category on September 14-16, before rain becomes fairly widespread on September 17-18.
Pleasant evening draws crowds
With the temperature dropping after the afternoon deluge, the weather turned pleasant by evening. Residents stepped out in large numbers at Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden, Rose Garden, Leisure Valley, Sector 17 Plaza, Elante Mall, CP67 and HP Galleria, besides other public places across the Tricity.
Eateries and roadside vendors also witnessed increased footfall as residents made the most of the cooler conditions after the intense rain.
For a city that had entered Sunday after an unusually hot Saturday, the rain provided much-needed respite. But the scale of waterlogging and traffic disruption showed that the relief came with a familiar cost for residents whenever an intense spell hits the Tricity.
