Chandigarh: Punjab is set to witness a brief spell of stormy weather on May 15 before a prolonged heatwave tightens its grip across several districts from May 16 onwards, according to the latest forecast issued by the Chandigarh Meteorological Centre.
An orange alert has been sounded for six districts — Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur and Muktsar — with predictions of thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 kmph. Chandigarh is also expected to experience unstable weather conditions during the day.
Weather experts said the region has seen only a marginal rise of 0.2 degrees Celsius in daytime temperatures compared to the previous day, keeping readings close to seasonal averages for now. However, this relief is expected to be short-lived as dry conditions and hotter winds are likely to dominate the coming week.
Bathinda remained the hottest location in the state, recording 42.7 degrees Celsius, while several other districts also crossed the 40-degree mark. Fazilka reported 40.9 degrees, Patiala touched 40.4 degrees, and Faridkot registered 40 degrees. Chandigarh recorded 38.1 degrees, while Ludhiana and Amritsar remained at 38.4 and 38 degrees respectively.
Meteorologists said the western disturbance that had influenced weather conditions over Ladakh and adjoining regions has now weakened significantly. At the same time, the upper-air cyclonic circulation over south Haryana has also lost intensity.
Officials added that weather systems are now becoming favourable for the southwest monsoon’s advance into parts of the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal around May 16, while another western disturbance may impact northwest India in the coming days.
The forecast indicates that after Thursday’s scattered showers, dry weather will prevail across Punjab, causing temperatures to rise by 3 to 4 degrees Celsius over the next week.
Heatwave alerts have already been issued for multiple districts. Bathinda and Mansa are likely to experience intense heat on May 16 and 17, while conditions may worsen further on May 18, affecting Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar, Moga, Barnala and adjoining areas.
The weather department has advised residents to avoid unnecessary exposure during peak afternoon hours, stay hydrated and take precautions as temperatures are expected to climb steadily through the weekend.
