Chandigarh, June 12 -- A spell of rain and gusty winds brought much-needed relief from the heat in Chandigarh on Thursday, with the maximum temperature dropping sharply by 6 degrees Celsius in the last 24 hours. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 36deg Celsius, 6degC below Wednesday's reading, while the minimum temperature settled at 26.3degC, down by 2.4degC. Chandigarh also received 0.3 mm of rainfall till 8.30 am, with the windy weather contributing significantly to the fall in temperature. While the day remained largely sunny after a light morning shower, weather conditions changed again in the evening as clouds gathered and strong winds swept across the city before a brief spell of rain. The IMD continued its orange alert for Chandigarh on Friday, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms and squall reaching speeds of 60-70 kmph. The alert comes as a fresh western disturbance influences weather conditions over the region. Its impact on temperature will be visible for next 3-4 days. According to the forecast, the maximum temperature is likely to remain below 36degC on Friday before hovering between 36degC and 37degC over the following days and gradually rising thereafter. The minimum temperature is expected to remain in the range of 24-25degC. Before the western disturbance hit Chandigarh on Thursday, the mercury had been soaring above 40degC in the city for the past couple of days. The highest temperature recorded in June was Tuesday's 42.1degC, 3.3degC above normal. Last year, June's maximum temperature was 43.9degC on June 11. In 2024, it was even higher (45.8degC) on June 1. India Meteorological Department's Chandigarh director Surender Paul said the maximum temperature would be below 40degC in the next four days. After that, the temperature can go up to 40degC or above. Chandigarh's power demand is steadily rising, though it remains below last year's peak levels. The highest-ever demand of 465 MW was recorded on June 12, 2025. This year, the peak demand has reached 421 MW on June 10, with a consistent upward trend from 272 MW on June 1 to over 400 MW within 10 days, before slightly dipping to 389 MW on June 11 (till now). In comparison, last year saw a sharper spike during the same period, with demand already touching 452 MW by June 11....