Scorching Saturday: Mercury breaches 40 mark in season’s first

Chandigarh: The Tricity experienced its first major heat spike of the season on Friday as day temperatures breached the 40 degrees Celsius mark, officially marking the first heatwave day of the year. A heatwave is declared when maximum temperature reaches 40 degrees or more and stays 4.5 degrees to 6.4 degrees above normal.According to the Chandigarh meteorological centre, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, which was 5 degrees Celsius above normal. Minimum temperature settled at 19.4 degrees Celsius, two degrees below the seasonal average.Meteorological data shows that for the past five consecutive years, April has recorded temperatures crossing the 40 degrees Celsius threshold. Last year, highest maximum temperature in April was 41.5 degrees Celsius on April 28, while in 2024, the mercury touched 42.2 degrees Celsius on April 27. The all-time highest maximum temperature for April in Chandigarh remains 42.2 degrees Celsius, recorded in 2022.What stands out this year, however, is the sharp temperature fluctuation earlier in the month. On April 8, Chandigarh recorded its second coldest April day since 1969, with maximum temperature dropping to just 24.2 degrees Celsius. From that low, the city has now seen steep rise in temperature, indicating that hot summer conditions have firmly set in.Officials said increasing temperatures signal a transition to sustained heat after a relatively moderate start to April. "Dry winds are prevailing, due to which humidity is present in the air, leading to a gradual rise in temperatures. These conditions are expected to persist and may cause heatwave conditions in other parts of the Tricity over the next two to three days," said Surender Paul, director, Chandigarh Meteorological Centre.The weather department has forecast that the heat will continue over the coming days, with maximum temperatures expected to range between 38 degrees Celsius and 41 degrees Celsius over the next five days. Minimum temperatures are likely to hover between 20 degrees Celsius and 22 degrees Celsius. The sky will be mainly clear to partly cloudy, with no significant rainfall activity.Residents have been advised to take precautions against heat exposure, particularly during peak afternoon hours.April temperatures:Max | MinApril 1: 32.8 | 15.8April 2: 35.7 | 17.6April 3: 31.7 | 19.9April 4: 30.8 | 17.43April 5: 30.9 | 16.2April 6: 31.9 | 14.9April 7: 27.6 | 18.8April 8: 24.2 | 13.4April 9: 28 | 12.3April 10: 29.7 | 12.4April 11: 32 | 15.8April 12: 31.9 | 14.8April 13: 33.9 | 15.2April 14: 35.5 | 15.4April 15: 36.8 | 16.5April 16: 38.1 | 16April 17: 36.7 | 20.2April 18: 40 | 19.4 MSID:: 130355980 413 | Get real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.