Chandigarh, April 16 -- The maximum temperature jumped to 36.8degC on Wednesday, settling 2.7 degrees above normal and the highest so far this season, a harbinger of the sizzling temperatures ahead.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), temperatures are expected to rise further, likely touching 39degC by Friday, with the 40degC mark not far off in the coming days. Last year, the maximum temperature in April had climbed till 41.5degC on April 28 while in 2024, the highest was 40.2degC on April 27.

The rising temperatures over the past five days mark a clear shift in April's weather pattern. After beginning on a warm note, the city had witnessed a mid-month dip in temperatures due to back-to-back Western Disturbance syst...