Dusty weather leads to cancellations of flights at Chandigarh airport

Low visibility due to dusty weather conditions led to cancellations of all flights to and from the Chandigarh International Airport today, with the weather department saying that the situation would improve only by tomorrow.

"As a result of disruption due to bad weather, all flights from Chandigarh were cancelled today," a Chandigarh International Airport Limited official said.

Dusty weather also prevailed in most parts of Punjab and Haryana and visibility levels dropped.

The weather department here said that a ground-level dust storm in Rajasthan, with wind speeds up to 40 kmph, had led to a spike in the levels of coarse particles in the air in most parts of Haryana and Punjab, including Chandigarh, since yesterday.

Director of Chandigarh's MeT Department Surinder Paul told PTI that a western disturbance approaching the region was likely to clear the air.

"A western disturbance is approaching the region and the dusty weather should dissipate by tomorrow," Paul said.

Meanwhile, the maximum temperatures registered a drop of 2-5 degrees Celsius today.

Chandigarh recorded a high of 39.6 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperatures at Ambala (40.4 C), Hisar (41 C), Karnal (39.2 C), Amritsar (39.5 C), Ludhiana (40.6 C) and Patiala (40.6 C) settled close to normal levels.

Thunderstorm with squall is likely at isolated places on June 15-16 in Haryana and Punjab, according to a MeT Department forecast.