Chandigarh, July 27: A 33-mm spell of rainfall brought a sigh of relief from the searing heat in Chandigarh on Sunday, but the much-needed respite came at a cost — waterlogged roads, flooded junctions, and traffic standstills across the city.
Between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., a moderate downpour cooled the city by nearly four degrees, dragging the maximum temperature down to 33°C — 3.9°C below Saturday’s reading and 0.8°C below normal. However, the night temperature rose to 28.5°C, which was 1.4°C above normal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Despite the dip in day temperature, the rain turned Chandigarh’s major routes into virtual water pools. Low-lying areas and busy intersections, including Tribune Chowk, Sukhna Lake Road, and the rotaries around Elante Mall, Rock Garden, and Sector 17, were inundated, forcing vehicles into bumper-to-bumper traffic.
“Most of us had stepped out for leisure because of the pleasant weather, but instead ended up stuck for hours in jams,” said Gurleen Kaur, a resident of Sector 22 who was heading to Sukhna Lake.
The IMD has re-issued a yellow alert for the city and parts of Haryana for Monday and Tuesday, warning of another round of heavy showers with thunderstorms and lightning at isolated locations.
Today’s rainfall in Chandigarh was the second highest in the region, after Ferozepur in Punjab received 49 mm. In contrast, neighbouring Mohali and Panchkula experienced only light rain, measuring less than 1 mm.
While Mohali recorded a maximum of 32.6°C and a minimum of 29°C — a drop of 3.3°C in daytime temperature — Panchkula logged the coolest conditions across the Tricity, with a high of 32.5°C and a low of 27.4°C.
Across the wider region, the IMD observed light to moderate showers in parts of Punjab and Haryana. “As compared to yesterday, there was no change and a 0.4°C drop in average maximum temperature, which stayed near normal in Punjab and Haryana,” the IMD said in a statement.
Sirsa in Haryana was the hottest in the region at 38°C, followed by Bathinda in Punjab at 37.4°C.
