Chandigarh: April was coolest in three years, wettest in six

Even as April ended on a “high” note with the mercury touching 40°C in the last week, the month was the coolest in three years.

At 33.8°C, the mean maximum temperature this April fell by 2.6 notches as compared to last year. Mean maximum is the average of the highest temperature recorded daily during the month.

In the past eight years, the mean maximum has mostly been around 36°C, although in 2015 it dropped to 32.1°C.

“April has been cooler this year because of local conditions,” said Shivinder Singh, a scientist at the Indian meteorological department (IMD)’s Chandigarh centre. Singh said lower temperatures cannot be attributed to western disturbances as the mercury has remained up to eight notches above normal in some parts of the region, such as southern Haryana.

“The cloud cover in the tricity and cool winds have kept the temperature at bay this time,” he said.

In fact, April has already broken the rainfall record, with 22.8mm rain in a single day (April 9), highest in the past 10 years. The month recorded 45.8mm rain in total, highest since 2012 when there was around 65mm rain.

 Thunderstorm ahead

The weatherman has put out a thunderstorm warning for the next three days. Going by it, even May might turn out to be cooler, at least in the first week.

But does a cool start mean the rest of the month will also remain cooler? “Not likely,” says Surender Paul, in-charge of the IMD’s local centre.

“May typically sees temperatures hovering between 42°C and 43°C, which may even soar to as high as 45°C,” he said. In the past 10 years, the maximum temperature has come close to 45 degrees only once — 44.8°C in 2012.