November off to a hot start: First three days warmest in over 12 years

Expected to be cooler than the hot and dry October, November has started off unseasonably warm.
The first three days of the month logged maximum temperatures of 32.6°C, 32.9°C and 32.8°C, respectively, all highest since November 2012, as per data readily available with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) at its Sector 39 station.
At 32.8°C, the maximum temperature on Sunday was 3.8 degrees above normal, reflecting a concerning trend.
Before this, the highest that the maximum temperature had gone in November was 34°C on November 1, 1970, as recorded at the Chandigarh airport station.
Speaking about the unusual rise in temperature, IMD Chandigarh director Surender Paul said, “This is a reflection of the dry spell we had in October, as no rain was recorded at all last month. Further, during winter, cool and dry North-Westerly winds help bring around change in temperature, but the impact of Cyclone Dana has shifted the wind pattern for the whole region, making the whole region exceptionally warm.”
Above average temperature likely throughout November
According to the Long-Range Forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for November, the region is likely to see above average temperature this month.
Speaking about this, Paul added, “We are expecting less rain this month. Based on the extended forecast, there is little chance of rain in the first two weeks of the month. This will lead to clear skies and warmer days.”
While the average temperature was likely to start falling week after week as winter neared, Paul said, the maximum temperature was still likely to stay around similar lines in the coming days. He noted that the ongoing warm weather conditions were a reflection of climate change.
High temp helping keep AQI low
On the bright side, the high temperature has had a positive effect on the Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city. While it had entered the very poor bracket after Diwali night, the air quality has been improving ever since.
After remaining very poor for two days, AQI improved during the day on Sunday as the temperature rose.
At 12 pm, it was at 195 at the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) in Sector 22 and 186 at the CAAQMS in Sector 25, both in the moderate category. However, it was still in the poor category at 222 at the CAAQMS in Sector 25.
Speaking about this, Paul said that this is to be expected as temperature starts to fall during the evening which leads to higher temperature inversion and causes the AQI to spike.
The minimum temperature also rose from 14.6°C on Saturday to 15°C on Sunday, still 0.4 degree above normal. However, it is likely to fall in the coming days.
Over the next three days, the maximum temperature is expected to remain between 32°C and 33°C, and the minimum temperature around 15°C.