Overnight showers cooled down the city, taking the minimum temperature down to 19.9°C on Friday, making it the coldest June night in 15 years.
The city recorded 21.7 mm rain during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said. The minimum temperature on Thursday was 26.3°C.
The city had last seen such conditions in June 2011 when the minimum dropped to 18.7°C. The lowest-ever night temperature for June was recorded in 1976, at 15.2°C. In good news for residents, similar conditions are expected to continue throughout the weekend, with chances of light rain on Saturday.
The system is expected to weaken by Sunday, after which a dry spell may set in, according to initial forecasts.
IMD Chandigarh director Surender Paul clarified that the current conditions are not part of the monsoon system, which is presently active over Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha. Monsoon is expected to reach Chandigarh around month-end.
The maximum temperature, meanwhile, dropped from 36°C on Thursday to 33.5°C on Friday, 5.1 degrees below normal. Over the next three days, the maximum temperature will remain between 35°C and 37°C while the minimum will remain between 22°C and 25°C.
The city has so far recorded 34.7 mm rain this month. This is 23.9% below normal for the corresponding period.
