CHANDIGARH, June 21: After a brief dip, temperatures in the Tricity region — Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula — rose slightly over the past 24 hours. However, moderate winds and an overcast sky kept the heat at bay on Saturday, even as weather officials warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning on Sunday, issuing an orange alert for Chandigarh, Punjab, and Haryana.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds up to 50 km/h in isolated areas until June 27, issuing a yellow alert for the period after Sunday. The region can expect partly cloudy skies with intermittent showers over the next five days.
On Saturday, Chandigarh recorded a maximum temperature of 36.3°C, up by 2.1°C from Friday, while the minimum rose to 27.8°C, 1.1°C higher than Thursday night. Mohali followed closely with a high of 35.9°C and a low of 28°C, while Panchkula, the coolest of the three, logged 35.4°C (max) and 27.3°C (min). Panchkula also received 1.5 mm of rainfall, the only Tricity town to report precipitation on Saturday.
“The mercury is expected to remain between 31°C and 34°C (maximum) and 25°C to 27°C (minimum) over the next few days, with rain likely to bring further respite,” said an official from the Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh.
Elsewhere in the region, Sirsa in Haryana emerged as the hottest town on Saturday with 40.8°C, while Bathinda in Punjab followed at 38.8°C. At night, Sirsa and Faridkot shared the title of warmest towns, both recording minimums of 30°C. In contrast, Pathankot (24°C) and Sonepat (24.7°C) reported the coolest nights in the region.
The IMD noted that the average maximum temperature fell by 1°C, while the minimum rose by 2.5°C, compared to the previous day. The temperature in Punjab remained 1.9°C below normal, and was near normal in Haryana. A further drop of 3-4°C in maximum temperatures is expected over the next three days.
“The drop in daytime temperatures, coupled with rain forecasts, points to significant relief from the heat wave,” said a senior IMD scientist. “However, residents are advised to remain cautious during thunderstorms.”
Tricity Mercury on Saturday (°C):
- Chandigarh: Max 36.3 | Min 27.8
- Mohali: Max 35.9 | Min 28.0
- Panchkula: Max 35.4 | Min 27.3
