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Chandigarh sizzles at 44°C, sees hottest day of the year
With Chandigarh’s day temperature rising from 43.4°C on Friday to 44°C on Saturday, 4.5 degree above normal, the India Meteorological Department declared a heatwave
Four days into June, Chandigarh’s maximum temperature shot up to 44°C on Saturday, making it the hottest day in the month since 2019.
With the day temperature rising from 43.4°C on Friday to 44°C on Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) declared a heatwave.
According to IMD, as no rain is likely any time soon, the temperature may touch 45°C in the next two days.
Before Saturday, the highest that the maximum temperature had gone this year was 43.6°C on May 14.
The closest hottest day in June was on the month’s first day in 2019, when the day temperature had touched 44.2°C. Since then, until Saturday, the day temperature never reached 44°C for the past three years.
According to IMD records, at 45.6°C, Chandigarh’s hottest summer days were recorded twice, on June 8 in 1995 and June 1 in 2012.
Speaking about this, IMD Chandigarh director Manmohan Singh said, “The temperature has been continuously rising due to clear weather and the effect of south-westerly winds, which are warming up the region. The humidity percentage is also low. Similar conditions will continue for the next two days, during which the day temperature can rise up to 45°C. The wind pattern is expected to change after that and a small drop in temperature is expected.”
The minimum temperature also rose from 25°C on Friday to 25.6°C on Saturday, 0.5 degree above normal. Over the next three days, it will remain between 26°C and 28°C.
Yellow alert for heatwave issued
At 44°C, Saturday’s maximum temperature was 4.5 degree above normal, leading to a heatwave.
As per IMD, a heatwave in this region is declared when the maximum temperature goes beyond 40°C and is 4.5 to 6.4 degrees above normal. It was last announced in Chandigarh on May 20, when the maximum temperature had gone up to 42.9°C.
A yellow alert for heatwave has also been issued in the region on Sunday and Monday. A yellow alert is the second of the four-colour alert system used by IMD and it is issued to ask people to remain updated.
IMD advises people to avoid heat exposure, wear lightweight, light coloured and loose cotton clothes, and to cover the head with a cloth, hat or umbrella in these conditions.
