Ludhiana residents experience dust storm rainfall and temperature drop.

Ludhiana: A dust storm followed by scattered showers brought a sharp dip in temperatures across this city over the weekend, giving residents a brief respite from the early summer heat. The weather department has forecast more rain activity towards the end of the week.

The city remained mostly dry through Saturday until clouds began gathering in the evening. Around 7.30 pm, a dust storm swept through Ludhiana, triggering high-speed winds. The meteorological deepartment issued a Nowcast warning shortly before 8 pm, predicting a severe thunderstorm with squalls of 60-80 kmph. Rainfall followed soon after and continued until before midnight.

The IMD observed Ludhiana to have recorded 3.2 mm of rainfall between 8.30 am on Saturday and 8.30 am on Sunday. No additional rainfall was recorded between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm on Sunday. The precipitation led to a marked drop in temperatures. The maximum temperature on Sunday was 35.2°C — 3.6°C below the seasonal average and 3.8°C lower than the day before. The minimum temperature also fell to 23.4°C, 0.9°C below normal and 4.4°C cooler than the previous day.

While the dust storm caused some disruption — including fallen tree branches in several areas — residents welcomed the relief from the heat. "The storm was intense, but the cool air and rain that followed made it worth it," said Gurcharan Singh, a local resident.

Looking ahead, the IMD expects a partly cloudy sky on Monday, followed by two days of clear skies. Rain and thundershowers may return by Thursday. Daytime temperatures are likely to reach 39°C on Monday and Tuesday, before dipping slightly to 38°C by Thursday, the Met office said. The weather shift comes amid rising heat across Punjab, with Ludhiana's conditions mirroring broader regional patterns of early monsoon activity.

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