Chandigarh, July 26: Chandigarh witnessed its hottest day of the season on Saturday, recording a maximum temperature of 36.9°C — 3.1°C above normal — making it the third hottest in the region after Palwal (37.5°C) and Ambala and Hisar (37.2°C). The sweltering heat prompted many residents to stay indoors as the city reeled under high humidity and rising temperatures.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning at isolated places in Chandigarh and parts of Haryana for Sunday and Monday, signalling a possible break from the heatwave.
The minimum temperature in the city was also on the higher side, touching 27.8°C — 0.7°C above normal. Relative humidity peaked at 83%, adding to the discomfort during the day.
In the Tricity region, Mohali recorded a maximum of 35.9°C and minimum of 27.5°C, while Panchkula was the least hot with a maximum of 35.5°C and minimum of 27.2°C.
Despite the intense heat on Saturday, the region did see a marginal drop in average maximum temperature compared to Friday — by 0.3°C in Punjab and 0.4°C in Haryana. Still, the temperature remained near normal in Punjab and above normal by 2°C in Haryana.
According to the IMD forecast, the region can expect partly to generally cloudy skies, thunderstorms, and rain over the next five days till July 31. The average maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 37°C and 26°C, respectively, across Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula.
As the monsoon activity picks up, residents are advised to remain alert during thunderstorms and avoid stepping out during peak weather alerts.
