Chandigarh, April 8: Chandigarh recorded 46 mm of rainfall overnight, the highest in the region, as an active western disturbance continues to influence weather patterns across Punjab and Haryana. The India Meteorological Department maintained an orange alert on Wednesday, warning of further thunderstorms, lightning, and potential hailstorms in isolated areas.
The heavy midnight rain, accompanied by intense lightning, caused the mercury to plunge. Chandigarh’s minimum temperature dropped to 13.4°C, which is 5.3 degrees below the seasonal average. Neighboring Mohali recorded 35.5 mm of rain, while Bathinda emerged as the coldest spot in Punjab at 12.2°C. Weather officials stated that gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 60 kmph are likely to persist over parts of Patiala, Sangrur, and Rajpura.
“Moderate thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are very likely over parts of Punjab,” the IMD nowcast affirmed. The department declared that while Chandigarh experienced brief sunshine on Wednesday morning, cloud cover is expected to keep daytime temperatures subdued.
The unseasonal weather has sparked significant concern among the farming community. Agricultural experts noted that the combination of heavy rain and strong winds has flattened standing wheat crops and soaked produce stored in grain markets. Farmers maintained that the persistent moisture could lead to grain discoloration, potentially affecting procurement quality standards as they brace for more scattered rainfall through the day.
