Saturday, March 29, 2025
Mohali: March 20, 2026 Continuous rainfall over the past 24 hours in Punjab and Chandigarh, coupled with snowfall in the mountains, has completely transformed the weather. The sudden chill in March has forced residents to bring out their woolens again. The state’s average temperature has recorded a drop of 2.7°C, which is 6.1°C below normal. The Meteorological Department has issued an ‘Orange Alert’ for today (March 20), warning of rain, lightning, and hailstorms accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 km/h.
Ludhiana has shattered weather records from the last five decades. On Thursday, the maximum temperature plummeted to 20.4°C, the lowest recorded in March since 1976.
Chandigarh: Experienced its coldest March day in two years, with the mercury dropping 7 notches below normal to 20.8°C.
Visibility: Due to the rain washing away pollution, the hills of Kasauli are now clearly visible from Chandigarh.
According to Surender Paul, Director of the Meteorological Department, this drastic shift is driven by a cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan and Haryana, combined with an active Western Disturbance arriving from Pakistan.
Regional Outlook:
Heavy Rain & Hail Warning: Amritsar, Jalandhar, Pathankot, and Mohali are expected to witness significant activity today.
Short-term Relief: The weather is expected to remain dry on March 21.
Extended Forecast: Light rain is likely to return on March 22 and 25.
The department indicates that temperatures may dip further over the next 48 hours before the summer heat resumes its course.
