With maximum temperature going up from Friday’s 25.9°C to 28.1°C, Saturday was the hottest December day in Chandigarh since 2014, according to data available with the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
With a spell of rain likely on Sunday, the mercury is expected to fall again.
At 28.1°C, the maximum temperature was also four notches above normal. Just two days ago, it had plunged to 19°C after the arrival of a western disturbance in the region.
“After the western disturbance passed, there was a period of clear weather. As another western disturbance is approaching the region, so colder northerly winds remained absent, causing the temperature to shoot up,” said Manmohan Singh, director, IMD, Chandigarh.
Singh said that due to the cloudy weather, Saturday night is expected to remain warm, though temperature is likely to plunge on Sunday with chances of light to moderate rain in the city.
{{/usCountry}}Singh said that due to the cloudy weather, Saturday night is expected to remain warm, though temperature is likely to plunge on Sunday with chances of light to moderate rain in the city.
{{/usCountry}}Weather will remain cloudy on Monday though clear skies are likely to return by Tuesday. Chances of moderate fog, which could drop visibility below 1 kilometre, are also present.
Meanwhile, due to the skies clearing up, the minimum temperature went down from 14.1°C to 12.1°C, still five notches above normal. In the next three days, the maximum temperature will remain between 21 and 23 degrees while the minimum temperature will remain between 9 and 11 degrees.
Air quality back to satisfactory
Even the Air Quality Index (AQI), that had crossed 300 at the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station in Sector 22 on Friday, dropped below 100, which is considered satisfactory.
It was recorded at similar levels at the monitoring station in Sector 25 as well. Officials said that with the sky opening up and winds blowing in the city, pollutants were dispersed and the air quality improved on Saturday.