Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh record excess rainfall: How Winter 2026 is breaking recent ‘dry spell’ trend

Rainfall distribution, however, remained uneven. Significantly excess rainfall was recorded in Gurdaspur (99.3 mm), SBS Nagar (78.5 mm), Fatehgarh Sahib (66.5 mm), Rupnagar (66 mm), Patiala (54.3 mm), and Ludhiana (52.2 mm), with departures ranging from 138 to 211 per cent above normal.

In contrast, south-western Punjab faced marked deficits. Muktsar (-77 per cent), Ferozepur (-74 per cent), Fazilka (-70 per cent), Faridkot (-56 per cent) and Bathinda (-55 per cent) received substantially lower rainfall than normal.

Among major districts, Amritsar (25.7 mm), Jalandhar (33.7 mm), and Ludhiana (52.2 mm) recorded rainfall close to or above their long-term averages.

Long-term data from 2000 to 2026 shows that Punjab has frequently recorded deficient January rainfall over the past 26 years. The highest January rainfall was recorded in 2022 (104.6 mm).

No severe cold wave in Punjab

Despite active rainfall spells and cold days, the temperature was below or close to the highest January temperatures of the past 15 years.

The highest maximum temperatures were observed between January 21 and 23: 24.5°C in Patiala (January 21), 24.0°C in Ludhiana (January 23), and 21.3°C in Amritsar (January 23).

The lowest minimum temperatures occurred in mid-January: 1.1°C in Amritsar (January 12), 2.6°C in Ludhiana (January 13), and 3.0°C in Patiala (January 13).

These remained higher than the extreme lows recorded in winters such as 2019 and 2020.

In Haryana, above-normal rainfall after recent dry years

Haryana recorded 19.6 mm of rainfall in January, 35 per cent above the normal of 14.5 mm. January marks the first month of the winter season in the state.

Rainfall was unevenly distributed, with northern and north-eastern districts receiving substantial precipitation.

Kurukshetra (52 mm) recorded a sharp 178 per cent excess, while Ambala (56.1 mm) and Chandigarh (63.6 mm)logged 98 per cent and 69 per cent excess rainfall, respectively. Other districts with notable excess rainfall included Panipat (85 per cent), Gurgaon (76 per cent), Fatehabad (73 per cent), Kaithal (63 per cent), and Jhajjar (63 per cent ).

On the other hand, Sirsa (-63 per cent), Sonepat (-32 per cent), Mahendragarh (-25 per cent), Charkhi Dadri (-13 per cent) and Faridabad (-8 per cent) remained rainfall-deficient.

Haryana sees moderately wet January

Historical data from 2000 to 2026 indicates that Haryana has experienced multiple rain deficient Januarys. The wettest January was recorded in 2022 (69.4 mm).

January 2026, though not extreme, reversed the sharp deficits of recent years, including 2024, when the state recorded no rainfall.

Temperature trends across Haryana reflected a largely moderate winter.

The highest maximum temperature was recorded in Ambala at 25.6°C on January 23, matching the highest January temperature of the past 15 years. Hisar (23.9°C) and Karnal (23.5°C) also recorded warm spells during the third week of January.

Minimum temperatures dipped in mid-January but stayed within normal limits: 0.2°C in Hisar (January 15), 2.0°C in Karnal (January 13), and 4.2°C in Ambala (January 13). These were higher than record lows such as the sub-zero temperatures in Hisar (2023) and Karnal (2020).

Chandigarh sees excess rainfall, mild winter

Chandigarh recorded 63.6 mm of rainfall in January, 69 per cent above the normal of 37.6 mm, placing the month in the ‘excess rainfall’ category.

Rainfall was significantly higher than 2024 (0.1 mm) and 2025 (22.6 mm) but remained well below the record January rainfall of 207.7 mm in 2022. The highest single-day rainfall was 41.2 mm on January 28.

Warm spells without extremes in the UT

The highest maximum temperature in Chandigarh touched 26.3°C on January 23, the highest maximum in the month in the last 15 years. The average maximum temperature stood at 17.5°C, cooler than January 2025 (20.1°C) but within long-term norms.

The lowest minimum temperature was 2.8°C on January 13, while the average minimum for the month was 6.7°C, well above historic lows such as 2.1°C recorded in 2016.

In the three states of North India, temperature patterns were marked by brief warm and cool spells but no prolonged extreme cold events, underlining a season that was wet but largely moderate in character.