Chandigarh has experienced a remarkable and unprecedented weather event, with December 2025 entering the record books as the city's driest and one of its warmest winter months in recent history. This period has starkly highlighted the increasing variability in regional winter weather patterns.
A Month Without a Drop: Unprecedented Dry Spell
According to the official monthly weather report from the Chandigarh Meteorological Centre, the city recorded a complete absence of rainfall from December 1 to 31, 2025. The total precipitation stood at 0.0 mm against a normal average of 15.6 mm, marking a staggering 100% deficit. This categorizes the month firmly in the "No Rain" bracket.
This is the first time since records became consistently available from 2013 that a December has passed without a single drop of rain. Even previous drought-like Decembers, such as those in 2015, 2021, and 2022, managed to register marginal rainfall. The contrast is sharp when compared to recent wet winters: December 2023 saw 32.4 mm of rain, and December 2024 received 40.5 mm.
Sunny and Warmer: Daytime Temperatures Soar
Accompanying the extreme dryness was a significant rise in daytime heat. December 2025 recorded the highest average maximum temperature in nine years, clocking in at 22.7°C. This figure is higher than any December since 2016. The peak daytime heat was felt on December 16, when the mercury climbed to 26.2°C.
Meteorologists directly link both the dry conditions and the elevated temperatures to the absence of active western disturbances. These weather systems are crucial for bringing winter rain, cloud cover, and consequently, cooler days to North India.
Surender Paul, Director of the Meteorological Centre in Chandigarh, explained the phenomenon. "This time fog was less. Thus, there was good sunlight, which impacted the daytime temperatures. As far as the driest month is concerned, it is due to no western disturbance," he stated.
Fog, Nights, and a Rainy New Year's Hope
Despite the warm, sunny days, night temperatures provided a semblance of normalcy. The average minimum temperature hovered around 8.0°C, consistent with recent years. The coldest night was December 3, with a low of 5.4°C—still notably milder than historical lows like the 2.3°C recorded in December 2014.
Fog remained a persistent winter feature, disrupting life on several mornings. The city experienced 4 days of very dense fog (visibility below 50 metres) and 5 days of dense fog (visibility between 50-200 metres). Similar conditions at Chandigarh Airport led to disruptions in early morning air and road traffic.
In a twist of weather fortunes, the dry spell was expected to break as the calendar turned. The weather department forecasted rain for New Year's Day, January 1. This prediction came as temperatures on the last day of December dipped, with a maximum of 15.2°C (5 degrees below normal) and a minimum of 8.4°C (2 degrees above normal).
This extreme inter-annual swing—from excess rain in 2024 to a historic dry spell in 2025—serves as a potent reminder of the complex and changing dynamics of winter climate in the region, with significant implications for agriculture, water resources, and daily life.
