Chandigarh: After keeping residents sweating through days of oppressive heat and humidity, the monsoon finally made its much-awaited entry into Chandigarh on Wednesday, arriving about a week later than usual but bringing instant relief.The Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, officially declared the onset of the monsoon in the city and said the rain-bearing system is expected to blanket the rest of Punjab and Haryana over the next two to three days.“We are in monsoon now. Rain will continue for now and its intensity is expected to increase on July 5 and 6. There will be comfortable temperatures and relief from hot and humid weather conditions,” director, Meteorological Centre, Chandigarh, Surender Paul told TOI.The monsoon typically reaches Chandigarh around June 24-25. Last year, too, it arrived on June 24. This time, however, residents had to endure an extended spell of sultry weather before the skies finally opened up.The first monsoon showers delivered 10.2 mm of rainfall on Wednesday. Though rain had been forecast for the past three days, it finally arrived in the morning and continued intermittently until the afternoon, washing away the discomfort caused by rising humidity levels.The impact was immediate. The city’s maximum temperature plunged by 7.3°C in a single day, settling at 29.7°C — six degrees below normal. The minimum temperature also dipped by 2.4°C to 27.4°C.The pleasant spell is likely to continue. The weather office has forecast a partly cloudy sky with light rain over the next five days. Day temperatures are expected to hover between 32°C and 34°C, while nights could become more comfortable with temperatures around 24°C to 25°C.July likely to see normal rainfallThe IMD has forecast near-normal rainfall for Chandigarh in July, a month that typically records 273.2 mm of rain.According to the department’s monthly outlook, while rainfall across the country is likely to remain below normal in many regions, Chandigarh is among the areas expected to receive near-normal precipitation.“July is expected to see near-normal rainfall, while the next months are likely to see below-normal rainfall,” Paul said.As for temperatures, maximum temperatures during July are expected to remain above normal, while minimum temperatures are likely to stay close to normal levels.
