E-Paper
At 37.4°C, Chandigarh records year’s highest day temperature
Chandigarh residents feel the heat as day temperature goes 4.9 degrees above normal; likely to hit 40°C in three days
After a record-breaking March, with just two days in, April has already recorded the year’s highest maximum temperature.
On Saturday, the day temperature shot up to 37.4°C from 36°C on Friday, going 4.9 degrees above normal and leaving residents sweating.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), with no rain expected, the day temperature will soar even further in the coming days.
Even though mercury shot up nearly five degrees above normal, IMD has yet to announce a heat wave in Chandigarh, while it has already been declared in parts of the region, including New Delhi. Speaking about this, IMD Chandigarh director Manmohan Singh said, “To declare a heat wave in the plains, while the maximum temperature has to go over 4.5 degrees above normal, it should also be above 40°C, which has not happened in Chandigarh yet.”
However, according to the IMD forecast for the next five days, the maximum temperature will cross the dreaded mark by April 5. In comparison, during April last year, the maximum temperature had touched 41°C towards the end, on April 28.
As per IMD’s probability forecast model, it is expected that both the maximum and minimum temperatures will remain above normal this month. Last month’s above average temperature was largely due to the month-long dry spell in the city, which is expected to continue this month also.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature went down from 20.6°C on Friday to 17.8°C on Saturday, but was still 1.5 degree above normal. It may rise up to 19°C again over the next three days.
