Chandigarh: The Chandigarh–Mohali–Panchkula (Tricity) region felt a sudden wintery turn on Wednesday, with a noticeable drop in daytime temperatures and the season’s first spell of fog making its presence felt during the morning and evening hours. Reduced visibility and a sharp nip in the air marked the change, even as skies remained partly cloudy to largely clear through most of the day.
Among the three cities, Panchkula recorded the coolest day, with the mercury peaking at just 18°C. This represented a significant fall of about 6.5 degrees Celsius compared to the previous day, the steepest decline seen across the Tricity.
Chandigarh’s Indian Air Force (IAF) airport observatory reported a maximum temperature of 19.1°C, down by over five degrees, while the city observatory registered a comparatively higher 23°C. Despite the variation, both readings reflected a clear cooling trend across the region.
Interestingly, night temperatures showed a marginal increase. Chandigarh city logged a minimum temperature of 8.3°C, while the IAF airport station recorded 8.5°C. Panchkula saw the mercury dip to 8°C, indicating that nights remained relatively less harsh even as daytime cold intensified.
Across the wider region, minimum temperatures ranged from around 5.6°C in Narnaul to about 11–12°C at some other locations. Day temperatures fluctuated between 18°C and nearly 27°C, with Anandpur Sahib in Punjab standing out as one of the warmer pockets.
Hill areas continued to experience much colder conditions. Shimla, in particular, remained significantly chillier than the plains, highlighting the growing contrast as winter gradually tightens its grip.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), high humidity levels played a key role in fog formation. Relative humidity in Chandigarh touched nearly 95% during the morning hours before dropping to around 53% by afternoon. Over the past 24 hours, dense to very dense fog was reported at isolated places in Punjab, while parts of Haryana witnessed dense fog conditions.
The weather office has warned that foggy conditions are likely to persist. Dense to very dense fog is expected at a few locations in the Tricity over the next two days, followed by dense fog at isolated places on Saturday. Skies are forecast to remain partly cloudy to mostly clear, with maximum temperatures likely to stay around 21–22°C and minimum temperatures between 8°C and 9°C.
Authorities have advised commuters to remain cautious during early morning and late evening hours, as fog could sharply reduce visibility. While nights may stay slightly milder, the overall cold spell is expected to continue in the coming days.
