At 19ºC, Ludhiana logs lowest max temp on November 25 since 1997

PAU experts said that weather conditions are expected to remain cloudy on Thursday with chances of thunderstorm at isolated areas

Cold, foggy and cloudy weather conditions continued to make the residents shiver as the city recorded the lowest maximum temperature ever since November 25, 1997, on Wednesday when the mercury fell to 19ºC. In 1997, the lowest temperature on this particular day was recorded at 16.5ºC.

Commuters walk in drizzle in Ludhiana on Wednesday. (Gurpreet SIngh/HT)

As per the school of climate change and agricultural meteorology, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the maximum temperature in the city was recorded at 19ºC, which is 5.2 degrees lower than the normal temperature recorded at this time of the year, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 11.6ºC, 2.7 degrees above normal.

PAU experts said that weather conditions are expected to remain cloudy on Thursday with chances of thunderstorm at isolated areas. Dry weather conditions have been predicted Friday onwards.

Head of department of climate change and agricultural meteorology, PK Sidhu, said the winter season arrived early this year and lowest temperatures are being recorded since the past three to four decades.

The western disturbance will move past Jammu and Kashmir area by Thursday following which, dry weather conditions are expected in the state, Sidhu added.

Meanwhile, winter season this year has caught the residents by surprise with low temperatures being witnessed even during the day.

One of the residents of Nehru Nagar, Gurminder Singh, said, “Winters have arrived early this year and low temperatures are being recorded. Usually, we start wearing jackets in December, but this year, the chilly weather has forced people to pull out the woollens in November only.”

Weather conditions beneficial for crops

PK Sidhu said that the dip in maximum temperature is good for wheat crop and vegetables. When the minimum temperature falls to 2-3ºC, then it starts damaging the winter vegetable crops, but till now it has been going well for farmers.