Season’s highest rainfall cools Chandigarh, more rain likely

Chandigarh: Overnight rain brought much-needed relief from humidity in Chandigarh, with the city recording its heaviest spell of the southwest monsoon season so far this year.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Chandigarh weather observatory recorded 92.3mm rainfall between 8:30am on Thursday and 8:30am on Friday.The downpour led to a significant drop in both day and night temperatures. Maximum temperature settled at 32.3 degrees Celsius, two degrees below normal, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 22.2 degrees Celsius, 4 degrees below normal.Compared with the previous day, minimum temperature fell by 2.2 degrees, creating noticeably cooler conditions across the city. Relative humidity remained high, touching a maximum of 96%, reflecting the moisture-laden atmosphere after the overnight showers.The rainfall was the highest recorded in Chandigarh during the ongoing monsoon season, surpassing previous daily totals this year. Besides the 92.3mm received during the 24-hour period ending at 8.30am, the observatory recorded another 1.7mm of rainfall between 8.30am and 5.30pm on Friday.

Seasonal rainfall in Chandigarh stood at 162.2mm till Friday evening, though it remained 28.7% below the long-period average for the season.The widespread overnight rain brought relief from the persistent heat and muggy weather experienced over the past several days. However, it also caused waterlogging at several low-lying stretches in the city.The IMD has forecast that the wet spell is likely to continue over the coming days.

For Saturday, the forecast is for a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of thunderstorms and rain, with temperature expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius. Sunday is expected to remain generally cloudy with thunderstorms and rain, while similar conditions are likely on Monday as well.Tuesday is also expected to witness a partly cloudy sky accompanied by thunderstorms and rain, while Wednesday’s forecast indicates generally cloudy conditions with light rain and thunderstorms.

Maximum temperatures during the five-day forecast period are expected to remain between 33 degrees Celsius and 35 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures are likely to stay between 24 degrees Celsius and 25 degrees Celsius.The weather office has also issued a warning of heavy rainfall at isolated places over Chandigarh through Sunday. The warning remains in force for Friday, Saturday and Sunday before easing from Monday onwards, when no weather warning has been issued for the city.With intermittent rain forecast over the next few days, residents can expect relatively pleasant temperatures compared with the recent hot and humid conditions.