Chandigarh: Residents across Punjab are beginning to feel an early winter chill, with meteorologists predicting a noticeably colder December this year due to the combined influence of active western disturbances and the La Niña weather pattern.
According to experts, both phenomena are contributing to a steady decline in temperatures across the state, particularly during the morning and night hours. The minimum temperatures have already dipped about two degrees below normal, signaling an early onset of the winter season.
“Cold conditions are setting in faster than usual,” said Dr. Surinderpal Singh, Director of the Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh. “While daytime temperatures are likely to remain near normal until around November 13, nights are expected to get progressively colder as western disturbances continue to affect the region.”
Dr. Singh noted that maximum temperatures are expected to stay between 24°C and 26°C in the northern and eastern districts, while areas in the southern and central parts of Punjab could see slightly higher readings of 26°C to 28°C.
However, it is the nighttime temperatures that are raising eyebrows. Minimum readings in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar could drop to between 6°C and 8°C, while most other districts are likely to record lows of 8°C to 10°C. Meteorologists say this pattern will leave the northern and western districts significantly colder than usual for November.
“The combined effect of western disturbances and La Niña is expected to make December considerably colder than last year,” Dr. Singh explained. “La Niña generally brings cooler-than-average conditions to North India during the winter months, and this year its impact is clearly visible.”
The western disturbances — weather systems originating from the Mediterranean region — bring moisture and changes in wind patterns that contribute to temperature fluctuations in northern India. When coupled with La Niña, which is characterized by a cooling of the Pacific Ocean surface and changes in global atmospheric circulation, the result is often sharper cold spells in northern states like Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
For residents, this means earlier winter mornings, foggy conditions, and a greater need for warm clothing before the year’s end. Farmers, meanwhile, view the cooler temperatures as beneficial for rabi crops such as wheat and mustard, though experts caution that dense fog and sudden cold waves could pose short-term challenges.
With meteorologists forecasting a sustained cold spell through December, Punjab appears set for one of its chilliest starts to winter in recent years — a reminder that the season of foggy mornings and warm quilts has arrived ahead of schedule.
