Sun rules Tricity as Chandigarh turns warmest in North; storm alert lined up next
As per the five-day forecast, skies are expected to remain partly cloudy on Wednesday, with light to moderate rain at isolated to few places on Thursday and Friday
Chandigarh remained the warmest place across Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday as a clear, bright and sunny day pushed the maximum temperature to 25.1°C, the highest in the entire region and a sharp 6.9 degrees above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The unusual winter warmth kept Tricity basking in sunshine, with residents enjoying near-spring conditions through the day.
Despite the sharp rise in day temperature, the night remained cool and unchanged from the previous day. The minimum temperature in Chandigarh settled at 6°C, which was still 1.4 degrees below normal. Relative humidity levels ranged between 92 per cent in the morning and dipped to 35 per cent by afternoon, reflecting dry conditions through most of the day. No rainfall was recorded in the past 24 hours.
The warmth in Chandigarh stood out even more when compared with nearby hill stations, which continued to record much lower temperatures. Shimla recorded a maximum of 15°C and a minimum of 4.5 degrees, Manali saw 12.6 degrees during the day and 2.6 degrees at night, Kufri remained colder at 9.6 and 1.8 degrees, while Srinagar recorded a daytime temperature of 12.5 degrees and a freezing night at minus 3.4°C.
IMD data showed that weather across Punjab and Haryana remained dry over the past 24 hours, though dense to very dense fog was reported at a few places, especially in Haryana, while isolated pockets of dense fog were observed in Punjab. Cold wave conditions were also reported at isolated places in Punjab, highlighting the sharp contrast between daytime warmth and colder mornings and nights in parts of the region.
For Tricity, IMD said the realised weather over the last 24 hours included mist during morning and night hours and brief haze in the evening, with calm to light northwesterly winds prevailing through the day. Chandigarh airport also recorded warmer-than-normal conditions, though slightly lower than the city observatory.
Looking ahead, the weather is set to change. A yellow alert for dense fog at isolated places remains in force for Wednesday. From Thursday onwards, another yellow alert has been issued for thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds with speeds of 30 to 40 kmph at isolated places, along with the possibility of scattered rainfall on Thursday and Friday. The change is being driven by an intense western disturbance that is likely to affect northwest India from the night of January 21.
As per the five-day forecast for Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, skies are expected to remain partly cloudy on Wednesday, turning unsettled on Thursday and Friday with light to moderate rain at isolated to few places. Day temperatures are likely to fall steadily from around 22°C on Wednesday to nearly 16 degrees by Friday, while night temperatures are expected to hover between 6 and 7°C.
Meteorologists said the current spell of warmth is temporary and cautioned that the approaching western disturbance could bring a noticeable dip in temperatures after the rain, along with gusty winds and brief thunderstorm activity.
