Chandigarh, June 1 -- In a break from the typical blazing heat in the month, May this year offered city residents a cool and welcome respite, thanks to 66 mm rain - 191% over the normal average of 22.8 mm for the month. This was the second-highest May rainfall in the last 10 years, just behind 2023, which saw 106.5 mm showers. This year, steady rainfall on multiple days contributed to keeping the average maximum temperature at 37.1degC, well below the 40.2degC average in 2024, when the month had remained completely dry, with zero rain. Also, while 2024 saw the maximum temperature soaring to an all-time high of 46.7degC at the Chandigarh airport on May 29, 2024, the highest maximum temperature recorded this May was 41.7degC - the lowest peak temperature in the month in more than a decade. May 2014 had seen a high of 41.5degC, but in every year since, the maximum temperature stayed above 42degC. The hottest day in Chandigarh's history remains May 28, 1988, when the temperature had gone up to 46.5degC. The average minimum temperature remained 24.8degC, also lower than last year's 25.4degC. But the lowest minimum temperature this year was 19.5degC, higher than last year's minimum of 17.4degC. The month ended on a cool note, with rain and gusty winds reaching 40-50 km per hour recorded on the last day. The Chandigarh Observatory of India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 12.2 mm between 8.30 am and 8.30 pm. However, as the sun shone bright during the day, before rain's arrival in the evening, the maximum temperature rose from Saturday's 36.4degC to 40.2degC. The minimum temperature also jumped from 21degC to 24.4degC. The day before, 14.4 mm rain in the morning had helped bring down the day and night temperature. According to IMD, partly cloudy skies with occasional rain or thunderstorms are expected over the next two days as well. Till June 5, IMD has forecasted maximum temperature to remain stableat 37degC and minimum to fluctuate between 20degC and 25degC...