Chandigarh: After a brief pause in intense weather activity, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has once again raised concerns over thunderstorms and strong winds across north India, issuing an orange alert for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh for the next two days.
The upgraded warning for Wednesday and Thursday signals the possibility of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 50 to 60 kmph at isolated locations. While Tuesday offers relatively calmer conditions, weather officials have retained a yellow alert for Haryana and Chandigarh, cautioning residents about localized storm activity.
The latest forecast comes days after a powerful pre-monsoon system brought widespread rain and unusually cool temperatures to the region, ending a prolonged spell of severe heat. However, meteorologists say the atmosphere remains unstable, creating favourable conditions for intermittent storm development through the week.
Chandigarh, which experienced an extraordinary temperature plunge following last week’s storm activity, has begun warming up again. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 36 degrees Celsius on Monday, marking another significant rise after the mercury had dropped to an unusually low 25.3 degrees Celsius during the recent weather disturbance. Despite the increase, temperatures remain below seasonal averages.
Across Punjab and Haryana, daytime temperatures have also shown signs of recovery but continue to stay lower than normal. Bathinda emerged as the hottest location in Punjab at 40.2 degrees Celsius, while Sirsa recorded 40 degrees Celsius in Haryana.
Weather experts expect scattered rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday, making them the most active days of the week. Thereafter, the alert level is likely to be downgraded to yellow on Friday before conditions improve over the weekend.
With June marking the beginning of the southwest monsoon season, attention is now shifting towards long-term rainfall trends. Current forecasts suggest northwestern India may receive normal to below-normal monsoon rainfall this season, raising concerns about water availability and agricultural planning in the months ahead.
For now, authorities have advised residents to remain alert for sudden thunderstorms, lightning strikes and strong winds during the midweek period.
