Chandigarh recorded the warmest day in Tricity on Monday, with the city also logging a higher maximum temperature than any station in Punjab and Haryana, as bright sunshine finally broke a five-day spell of foggy and cloudy weather. The clear skies brought daytime relief, though nights turned slightly cooler and are set to become markedly colder later this week.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chandigarh city observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 24.5°C, the highest in the region and well above Punjab’s highest of 24.1°C at Bhakra Dam in Ropar district and Haryana’s peak of 22.1°C at Gurugram.

Mohali recorded a maximum of around 23°C, while Panchkula also remained above 22°C, making Chandigarh the warmest pocket across Punjab, Haryana and the Tricity belt.

Night temperatures dipped marginally by about 0.5°C, but Chandigarh continued to remain warmer at night compared with most parts of Punjab and Haryana. The city’s minimum temperature settled at 8.3°C, while Mohali and Panchkula hovered in the 8-9°C range. In contrast, several stations in Punjab and Haryana reported lower night temperatures, with Ludhiana recording a minimum of 7.2°C and Narnaul in Haryana touching 6°C.

Weather during the last 24 hours remained dry across the region. Dense to very dense fog was reported at a few places in Punjab and Haryana early in the day, though Tricity saw a clear and sunny morning, ending the prolonged foggy spell. Relative humidity levels in Chandigarh remained high, with maximum humidity touching 94 per cent and minimum around 37 per cent, conditions conducive for fog formation once winds calm down again.

The IMD has forecast a return of fog from Tuesday. A yellow alert for dense fog at isolated places has been issued for Tuesday, followed by an orange alert from Wednesday to Friday warning of dense to very dense fog at a few places across Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. Another yellow alert for dense fog is in place for Saturday and Sunday. Skies are expected to remain mainly clear to partly cloudy during this period, with no rainfall forecast.

While minimum temperatures are not expected to change significantly over the next 24 hours, the IMD has warned of a sharp fall thereafter. Night temperatures are likely to drop by 3 to 5°C later in the week, making nights distinctly colder across the region, even as day temperatures hover around 20°C during the foggy phase.

In comparison, Shimla remained much colder, with daytime temperatures staying in the low teens and night temperatures close to freezing, underscoring the relatively warmer conditions prevailing over the plains despite the approaching cold wave and foggy spell.