States » NorthPosted at: Oct 29 2026 5:21PM

Neeraj Bali
Chandigarh, Oct 29 (UNI) Haryana has recorded 181 percent above-normal rainfall so far this October, with fresh showers sweeping several districts on Thursday as weather authorities warned of thunderstorms, hailstorms and strong winds across large parts of the state.
The Chandigarh Meteorological Centre issued an orange alert for 15 districts, warning that gusty winds could reach 50-60 kmph in some areas, potentially disrupting normal life and damaging standing crops.
Rainfall was reported from parts of Panipat, Sonipat, Faridabad, Narnaul, Yamunanagar, Panchkula, Ambala, Jind, Kurukshetra and Karnal on Thursday morning, while several other areas remained under thick cloud cover.
The unsettled weather has been linked in local reports to Cyclone Arnab, although its precise influence on Haryana requires confirmation from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
According to IMD data, Haryana received an average of 25.3 mm of rainfall between October 1 and 27, compared with the normal 9 mm for the corresponding period.
The figures represent an increase of approximately 181 percent, highlighting an unusually wet October across the predominantly agricultural state.
Sonipat recorded the highest cumulative rainfall among the districts, at 63.6 mm during the period.
The weather department warned of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and strong surface winds across central, eastern and southeastern Haryana.
Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Rewari, Mahendragarh, Palwal and Nuh were among the districts facing the possibility of further rainfall.
Karnal and Yamunanagar were also placed under warnings for squally weather.
The IMD's alert classification describes orange as a warning to "be prepared", indicating the possibility of weather conditions requiring precautionary measures.
Unsettled conditions are expected to continue on Friday, with thunderstorms, lightning and wind speeds of 30-40 kmph forecast for parts of eastern and southeastern Haryana.
Meanwhile, overnight temperatures have begun falling across the state, signalling the onset of cooler weather.
Bawal in Rewari district recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 13 degrees Celsius, followed by Panchkula at 13.1 degrees, Mahendragarh at 13.2 degrees and Narnaul at 13.5 degrees.
Karnal recorded a minimum temperature of 13.8 degrees Celsius.
Despite the increasingly cool nights, Haryana's average minimum temperature rose marginally by 0.1 degrees Celsius compared with the previous day and remained close to seasonal norms.
The combination of excessive rainfall, thunderstorms and falling night temperatures has marked a sharp change in weather conditions across the state ahead of November.
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