Chandigarh: A spell of rain early Thursday brought a welcome change in weather conditions across parts of Punjab, including Jalandhar, offering temporary respite from the prevailing heat. The change comes as the Meteorological Department has forecast continued unstable weather over the next few days, with thunderstorms and gusty winds expected across several districts.
A Yellow Alert has been issued for Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Bathinda and Mansa, where light to moderate rainfall accompanied by lightning and winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 kmph is likely. Meanwhile, Chandigarh is expected to witness partly cloudy conditions, although no widespread rainfall has been predicted for the city.
Despite the changing weather pattern, temperatures remain high in many parts of the state. Bathinda recorded the highest maximum temperature at 42.2 degrees Celsius, while Chandigarh touched 39.2 degrees Celsius, registering a slight rise from the previous day.
The increasing heat has also pushed electricity consumption higher. Punjab’s power demand climbed to 13,290 MW during the evening peak hours, with the state relying heavily on supplies from the central grid to meet the growing requirement alongside its own generation capacity.
Weather officials attribute the current conditions to an active Western Disturbance coupled with a cyclonic circulation over southern Punjab. These systems are expected to keep the atmosphere conducive for scattered showers and thunderstorms until June 22, reducing the intensity of the heat in several regions.
According to the latest forecast, districts along the border belt and central Punjab are likely to receive intermittent rainfall over the coming days, with thunderstorms and lightning remaining a possibility. Residents have been advised to exercise caution during adverse weather, particularly by avoiding open fields, tall trees and electric poles during lightning activity.
