Chandigarh, March 3: Chandigarh is experiencing an abrupt transition to summer, with temperatures surging three to four degrees above the seasonal average at the very start of March. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 29.5°C on Monday, the highest of the season so far, effectively ending the traditional spring transition period.
Meteorological officials stated that the absence of active Western Disturbances this year has played a critical role in the early heat. Surender Paul, director of IMD Chandigarh, affirmed that the lack of rain and minimal snowfall in the neighboring hilly regions of Himachal Pradesh has prevented the usual cooling effect. He maintained that dry north-westerly winds have also kept fog at bay, allowing sunlight to heat the region more rapidly than in previous decades.
The impact of this “hasty exit” of spring extends beyond human discomfort. Harminder Pal Singh, chairperson of the Department of Environment Studies at Panjab University, asserted that the early heat is creating a biological disconnect. He declared that plants are beginning to pollinate earlier based on the temperature, while pollinating agents like bees and butterflies are still following their old schedules, potentially leading to a shortage in fruit production.
“Plants start to pollinate based on the temperature. If temperature gets high earlier in the year, the pollinating agents like bees and butterflies will still follow the same schedule,” Singh affirmed. He noted that mango trees along major city roads are already showing uneven flowering due to these dry winds and early sun exposure.
