Punjab, Chandigarh see sudden weather shift as February begins; rain, fog and storm alerts issued
PTC Web Desk: Weather conditions across Punjab and Chandigarh took a sharp turn at the very start of February, with widespread rainfall, dense fog and storm warnings affecting daily life. Several districts received rain late Saturday evening, followed by misty conditions on Sunday morning, reducing visibility in many areas.
Rainfall was reported from Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Rupnagar, Patiala, Pathankot and Chandigarh, among other places. The change in weather also led to road accidents due to poor visibility. In Sangrur, a private company bus carrying 10 employees rammed into a tree amid dense fog, leaving seven persons injured, including a pregnant woman. Officials said all injured were out of danger. In another incident near village Tehina in Faridkot, a PRTC bus hit a divider, though passengers escaped without injuries.
The Meteorological Centre in Chandigarh has forecast rain across all districts of Punjab on February 1. A yellow alert has been issued for 14 districts due to the likelihood of thunderstorms, strong winds and lightning. Wind speeds during this period may range between 30 and 40 kmph.
According to the weather department, January this year turned out to be the coldest in the last 15 years. Rainfall during the month was recorded in almost all districts of Punjab, barring three, a pattern usually seen only during the monsoon season. Persistent western disturbances kept temperatures below normal, intensifying the cold wave conditions across the state.
Meteorologists noted that the average temperature in January remained below normal levels. With the arrival of February, weather patterns are expected to fluctuate further.
Over the past 24 hours, the maximum temperature across Punjab fell by 1.8 degrees Celsius, dropping below seasonal averages. Faridkot recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 3.8 degrees Celsius. Forecasts suggest that night temperatures may rise by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius over the next day, while daytime temperatures could dip by another 2 to 4 degrees.
Rainfall has proven beneficial for agriculture, particularly for wheat and other rabi crops, as it has increased soil moisture levels. Experts say light to moderate rain at this stage supports healthy crop growth. The Malwa region experienced harsher cold conditions during January, with minimum temperatures in several districts dipping well below normal.
The weather department has warned of thunderstorms and lightning in districts, including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Hoshiarpur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar, Patiala and Mohali. Light to moderate rainfall is likely at several locations in Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr and Rupnagar, while scattered showers may occur in central districts. Southern districts such as Ferozepur, Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar, Moga, Bathinda, Barnala and Mansa may see rainfall at isolated places.
The Meteorological Department further stated that a fresh western disturbance is expected to affect north-west India from the night of February 2. Another system may become active from the night of February 3, potentially extending the spell of unstable weather. Currently, an upper-air western disturbance over north-eastern Iran and strong jet stream winds over north India are influencing regional weather conditions.
Cold wave conditions have been recorded in parts of Patiala and Amritsar, while visibility in some areas dropped below 40 metres due to dense fog. IMD Chandigarh Director Surinder Pal said that light to moderate rainfall may occur at a few places in the state on February 1.
- PTC NEWS
