CHANDIGARH, Aug. 9 — The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday issued a yellow alert for Chandigarh, Punjab, and Haryana, warning of heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at isolated locations on Sunday.
Officials said another wet spell is expected on Wednesday and Thursday, while Monday and Tuesday are likely to remain dry. “We are keeping a close watch as conditions remain favorable for more intense rainfall in the coming days,” an IMD spokesperson said.
Saturday’s weather already offered a preview of the disruption. A 90-minute deluge of 86 mm in Chandigarh in the afternoon submerged several low-lying areas, clogged drains, and caused traffic snarls across the city. The downpour forced authorities to open the Sukhna Lake floodgates for the second time in less than three days. Light to moderate evening showers also hit Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula around 5 p.m., lasting nearly an hour and again resulting in waterlogging and commuter inconvenience.
“While the showers gave some relief from the humidity, the city struggled with flooding in several pockets,” said Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Sector 22.
The rain brought down temperatures noticeably. Chandigarh recorded a maximum temperature of 33.1°C and a minimum of 24°C, both well below Saturday’s readings and slightly under the seasonal average. Panchkula remained the coolest in the Tricity, with a maximum of 32.7°C and a minimum of 25°C, while Mohali was marginally warmer at 33.2°C and 24.2°C.
IMD data showed that, on average, Punjab’s maximum temperature dropped 1.6°C to near-normal levels, while Haryana’s fell 3.8°C to 1.6°C below normal. The hottest location in the region was Abohar, Punjab, at 36.8°C, followed by Haryana’s Narnaul at 34.5°C.
The department reported light to moderate showers in several parts of Punjab and Haryana, with isolated heavy rain and gusty winds. Ganguwal in Ropar district received very heavy rainfall during the past 24 hours.
A five-day forecast suggests partly to generally cloudy skies with intermittent thunderstorms and rain for the Tricity until August 13. “The next few days could see a mix of dry breaks and sudden downpours,” the IMD noted.
Rainfall & temperature on Saturday
| City | Max Temp | Min Temp | Rainfall |
| Chandigarh | 33.1°C | 24°C | 86 mm |
| Mohali | 33.2°C | 24.2°C | Nil |
| Panchkula | 32.7°C | 25°C | 0.5 mm |
