Alert for Rain, Gusty Winds, and Hail in Punjab and Chandigarh Today; Temperature below normal

March 19, 2026

Due to intermittent rainfall over the past two days in Punjab and Chandigarh, coupled with snowfall in the hills, winter-like conditions—reminiscent of January—have returned. A drop of 3.5 degrees Celsius in temperature was recorded within a 24-hour period. The temperature has now fallen 4.1 degrees below the normal average. Meanwhile, an ‘Orange Alert’ has been issued for the next two days, starting today, warning of thunderstorms accompanied by rain, strong winds, and hailstorms in certain areas. A temperature of 27.7 degrees Celsius was recorded in Patiala.

Storms in 5 Districts; Rain in 19

Today, there is a possibility of storms and squalls in 5 districts of the state, while rain is expected in 19 districts. During this period, specific locations within Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, and Rupnagar are likely to experience storms, lightning, and strong winds gusting at speeds of 30–40 km/h.

Additionally, light to moderate rainfall is expected in certain areas across Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ferozepur, Moga, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Barnala, Mansa, Sangrur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Rupnagar, Patiala, and SAS Nagar (Mohali).

The Cause Behind the Sudden Weather Shift

According to the Meteorological Department, the weather system that had formed over Rajasthan has now shifted towards western Rajasthan and remains active at a level slightly above ground altitude. Concurrently, a Western Disturbance is also in motion, creating atmospheric turbulence at higher altitudes. Meanwhile, a second weather system that had formed over Haryana has now weakened. As a result of these combined factors, weather patterns across North India are undergoing a change; conditions may vary across regions, ranging from cloudy skies in some places to rain or strong winds in others. The weather is expected to remain somewhat unstable in the days ahead.

Rainfall Recorded in Pathankot and Amritsar

On March 18, between morning and evening, the highest rainfall was recorded in Pathankot (4.5 mm) and Amritsar (0.5 mm). Apart from this, Ludhiana and Chandigarh experienced only light drizzle—a phenomenon technically referred to as ‘trace’ rainfall. Overall, rain did not occur in most places; only a few isolated areas witnessed light showers.

Amritsar: The Coldest

The lowest maximum temperature in the state was recorded in Amritsar, where the mercury stood at 19.4 degrees Celsius. This marked a decline of 5.8 degrees. In Patiala, the maximum temperature was recorded at 27.7 degrees—1.3 degrees lower than yesterday. Similarly, Ludhiana recorded 26.2 degrees, a drop of 1.4 degrees. Pathankot recorded a temperature of 22.7 degrees, marking a decline of 5.0 degrees.

Rupnagar (covering the Bhakra Dam and Anandpur Sahib areas) recorded temperatures of 25.3 degrees and 24.8 degrees, respectively; both locations witnessed a significant drop of 5.4 degrees. Bathinda recorded 25.5 degrees, a decrease of 1.7 degrees. In Ferozepur, the temperature stood at 23.0 degrees—a drop of 3.2 degrees. Hoshiarpur recorded a temperature of 23.5 degrees, marking a decline of 3.1 degrees.

Possibility of Rain and Hail

According to Surender Pal, Director of the Meteorological Department, there is a likelihood of rain in several parts of the state today and tomorrow. In some locations, strong winds gusting between 40 and 50 km/h may blow, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

There is also a possibility of hailstorms (hail falling) in isolated areas. There will be no significant change in temperatures over the next 24 hours; however, in the two days following that period, temperatures could drop by 5 to 7 degrees. Subsequently, there is a possibility of temperatures rising again by 4 to 6 degrees.