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Chandigarh’s hottest day this summer, mercury at 40.6°C
Despite the rise in maximum temperature from Friday to Saturday, it remained 3.1 degrees below normal
The maximum temperature went up by over three degrees on Saturday, settling at season’s highest 40.6°C, amid prediction of rain. The maximum temperature was recorded at 36°C on Friday. Before Saturday, the maximum temperature had peaked at 40.2°C on April 26, the only other day it crossed 40 degrees this season.
According to India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Chandigarh director AK Singh, the Western Disturbance (WD) was not very active and was expected to affect areas around Chandigarh more than the city. Cloudy weather was expected to return from Sunday onwards, accompanied by a continued rise in temperatures, he said.
Despite the rise in maximum temperature from Friday to Saturday, it remained 3.1 degrees below normal. The minimum temperature rose from 18.2°C on Friday to 23°C on Saturday as well, around 0.3 degrees below normal. According to the IMD, the minimum temperatures were also likely to increase as the western disturbance will lead to cloudy weather at night.
IMD officials state that with no fresh western disturbance expected, the weather was likely to stay dry for next few days. According to IMD officials, skies are expected to remain partly cloudy on Sunday and the maximum temperatures will hover around 39°C over the next three days. The minimum temperatures will range between 23°C and 24°C.
Warmer, wetter May likely
According to the monthly forecast for May released by the IMD, the month is likely to be warmer and wetter than normal this year. The forecast is prepared using probability models and taking global weather conditions into account.
May is the hottest month of a year and last year, the maximum temperature had gone up to 43.1°C, recorded on May 23. In 2022, the maximum temperature had gone up to 43.6°C on May 15. The all-time highest record for May was 46.5°C on May 28, 1988.
As compared to the normal precipitation of 22.8 mm in May, 119.6 mm rain was recorded in the month last year. It was the second highest in over 70 years since the IMD started maintaining data.
The all-time high rain recorded in May was in 1971, when 130.7mm precipitation was recorded in the month. In 2022, only 28.4 mm rain was recorded in the month.
AK Singh said, “Since May is not a monsoon month, all rain will be due to western disturbances or local phenomena. Because of the western disturbances, the temperature has remained below normal till now. The ‘May heat’ is expected after the second week.”
2 to 4 heatwave days this month: IMD
The month also has a high probability of heatwaves due to high temperature and low moisture levels in the air. A heatwave in the region is declared when maximum temperature crosses 40°C or goes at least 4.5 degrees above normal. Till now, no heatwaves have been recorded this season. According to the long range forecast, two to four days with heatwave conditions are expected in the city this month.
