The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has extended a yellow alert for thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph with isolated rain across Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana till Thursday (June 4) — ensuring the welcome wet spell that dramatically broke the region’s severe heatwave on Saturday continues in a milder form through much of the coming week.
Meanwhile, IMD’s monthly weather report for May 2026 confirms the month closed with a large excess rainfall of 50.1 mm — more than double the normal of 22.8 mm — in a stunning contrast to May 2024, when Chandigarh received zero rainfall and logged a record high of 46°C.
Sunday brought no fresh rain to the Tricity, but delivered a full day of pleasantly cool, overcast weather that drew residents out in large numbers to Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden, Rose Garden, Leisure Valley, the Geri Route, Sector 17 Plaza, Elante Mall, CP67 Mall, and other public spaces — the second straight day of outdoor celebration after Saturday’s dramatic storm ended the brutal heat.
Sharp bounce after record crash
After Saturday’s historic mercury nosedive to 25.3°C — a staggering 14.8°C below normal and almost certainly the city’s lowest May maximum in years — Sunday saw an equally sharp rebound.
Chandigarh’s maximum temperature rose 6.7 degrees to 32°C, the sharpest single-day rise among the primary Punjab reporting stations and the joint highest alongside Amritsar.
Yet the city remained a meaningful 7.2 notches below normal even after the bounce, and the afternoon felt nothing like the scorching conditions of the previous week. The minimum temperature rose 2.4°C to 20.4°C, still 5.9°C below normal.
Maximum relative humidity surged to 91 per cent — dramatically up from Friday’s parched 29 per cent — confirming the moisture-drenched air left behind by Saturday’s heavy rain.
Past 24 hours: Punjab drenched, Haryana soaked
Light to moderate rainfall occurred at most places in Punjab and many places in Haryana in the past 24 hours. Thunderstorms and gusty winds were reported at isolated places in Punjab and a few places in Haryana, while a hailstorm struck at isolated places in Haryana.
Across Punjab, average maximum temperature rose 4.8°C but remained 7.6°C below normal, with Bhatinda (AMFU) recording the state’s highest at just 38°C. Average minimum fell 1.1°C, 4.4°C below normal, with Bhatinda AMFU recording the lowest overnight minimum at 18°C. In Haryana, average maximum edged up just 0.1°C and was 7.4°C below normal, with Sirsa topping the state at 37°C. Average minimum fell 2°C and was 5.8°C below normal, with Ambala logging the state’s lowest minimum at 18°C.
Next five days for Tricity
The mercury will build through the week but in manageable steps. Monday: partly cloudy, max 36°C, min 24°C. Tuesday: partly cloudy, max 38°C, min 25°C. Wednesday: partly cloudy, max 40°C, min 25°C. Thursday: partly cloudy, max 40°C, min 25°C. Friday: partly cloudy with thunderstorms and light rain possible, max 39°C, min 26°C.
Seven-day outlook
Yellow alerts for thunderstorms and lightning with gusty winds of 40-50 kmph at isolated places run through Thursday for Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana.
Rainfall will be isolated daily through Wednesday before turning scattered on Thursday. The alert clears for Friday and Saturday. Isolated showers may still occur on those days, but no formal warning is in force. The extreme heatwave of last week is not expected to return immediately.
Chandigarh below normal
Maximum temperature was 32°C (7.2°C below normal) and minimum was 20.4°C (5.9°C below normal). Maximum relative humidity was a very humid 91 per cent and minimum was 39 per cent. The 18.2mm of overnight rainfall was accounted for by 8:30 am; no fresh rain fell through the afternoon or evening.
Seasonal rainfall from March 1 has surged to 129.6mm — a healthy 136.9 per cent of normal. Sunset on Monday is at 7:18 pm and sunrise on Tuesday will be at 5:22 am.
May 2026 in numbers
IMD’s monthly weather report for May 2026 captures an extraordinary month in sharp statistical relief.
Chandigarh received 50.1mm of rainfall in May 2026 against a normal of 22.8mm — a surplus of 120 per cent, classified as “large excess".
The contrast with May 2024, when the city received precisely zero millimetres of rain and logged an all-time May record of 46°C, could hardly be more stark. The 2026 total is also higher than 2022 (26.2mm) and several other recent years, though below 2025 (66mm) and the all-time monthly record of 106.5mm set in 2023.
On the temperature front, May 2026 was a month of violent extremes. The highest maximum of 44.4°C recorded on May 21 entered the all-time top 10 list of highest maximum temperatures for the month of May at Chandigarh, ranking eighth among all historical recordings.
Yet the very same month produced a lowest maximum of 25.3°C on Saturday — the dramatic storm-induced crash. The average maximum for May 2026 was 37.4°C against a 10-year high of 40.2°C in 2024.
The lowest minimum of the month was 17.1°C on May 3, and the average minimum was 22.3°C. The Chandigarh Observatory logged a total of 54.2mm at station level through the month, with the single highest daily rainfall of 19.7mm recorded on May 3.
