E-Paper
With 21.8 mm rain, Chandigarh logs wettest March day since 2020
Brace for more showers from Thursday onwards as fresh Western Disturbance will affect the region, says IMD
The city recorded 21.8 mm rain on Monday, making it the wettest March day since 2020, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) data.
The 21.8 mm rain was second only to the 25.2 mm showers received on March 7, 2020.
The city has recorded 36.4 mm rain in March so far, a relief from the rising temperature and no rain throughout February. Last year, the month of March had remained completely dry.
Speaking about the rain, IMD Chandigarh director Manmohan Singh said, “A fresh Western Disturbance (WD) started affecting the region from Saturday onwards that led to the rain on Monday. There is a confluence of the WD and other systems active over the country that are providing moisture from the Arabian Sea to the region.”
Some residents also claimed that light hail was seen around Madhya Marg on Monday evening. But IMD officials said no hail was recorded at their Sector-39 observatory.
Chances of rain will continue on Tuesday, but the intensity is likely to go down. But more showers can be expected from Thursday onwards, when a fresh WD will affect the city.
Wind speed also picked up, with maximum wind speed going up to 53 km/h at the airport around 3.30 pm. As per IMD officials, gusty winds over 30 km/h persisted in the city between 2 pm and 5.30 pm, but no major damage was reported in the city.
Meanwhile, there was no major change in mercury. The maximum temperature went down from 27.5°C on Sunday to 26.9°C on Monday, 2.1 degrees below normal. On the other hand, because of cloudy weather at night, the minimum temperature went up from 13.8°C to 16.2°C, 2.6 degrees above normal.
Over the next three days, the maximum temperature will remain between 23°C and 25°C, and the minimum temperature remain between 15°C and 16°C.
Rain impeded traffic movement around the city in the evening. As per the Chandigarh Traffic Police, waterlogging was reported from the Housing Board light point till the Kalagram light point and up to the Sector 7/18 dividing road in Panchkula.
The railway under bridge in Industrial Area, Phase 1, also faced waterlogging and it took the civic staff a couple of hours to drain out the water. The Kishangarh road also remained inundated, leading to traffic snarls.
