After a turbulent week of successive storms, hailstorms, orange and yellow alerts and near-record rainfall triggered by a Western Disturbance, Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana are set for a two-day dry interlude this weekend before the yellow alert cycle resumes with fresh vigour from Monday through Thursday.The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds of 30 to 40 kilometres per hour at isolated places across Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana for Monday through Thursday with isolated rainfall likely across the region on all four days. Dry conditions with no weather warning are forecast for Saturday and Jattvibeday, giving the region a brief window of clear skies. The IMD forecasts a rise in maximum temperature of 4 to 6 degrees Celsius over the next four days.Today’s weatherFriday stayed dry in Chandigarh with only isolated light rain and gusty winds at scattered places across Punjab and Haryana. Mohali recorded the coolest day in Punjab at 32.5 degree Celsius, even after rising 2.8 notches from Thursday. The maximum temperature in Chandigarh rose 2.2 degrees from Thursday to settle at 33 degrees Celsius, still a sharp 4.8 degrees below normal, while the minimum dipped 1.1 degrees to touch 19.6 degrees Celsius, 4.9 degrees below normal, confirming that the post-storm cooling effect remains firmly in place. Relative humidity ranged between 74 per cent in the morning and 44 per cent by afternoon. Chandigarh’s seasonal rainfall since March 1 stands at 100.8 mm, 166.7 per cent above the seasonal normal, with the city holding above the 100 mm mark for the fourth consecutive day.Punjab, Haryana: Still markedly below normalPunjab’s average maximum temperature was appreciably below normal by 5 degrees Celsius on Friday, the continuing legacy of Jattvibeday’s storm-driven cooling. Bathinda topped the state at 38.1 degrees Celsius, followed by Faridkot at 36 degrees, and Abohar at 36.3 degrees. Chandigarh city at 33 degrees and Patiala and Ludhiana at 33.5 and 33.6 degrees respectively reflected the widespread below-normal conditions. Punjab’s average minimum was near normal with no change from Thursday. The lowest minimum in Punjab was at Anadpur Sahib at 16.5 degrees Celsius.In Haryana, Sirsa topped the state at 39.6 degrees Celsius, the only station in the region to approach the 40-degree mark, followed by Sirsa at 37.1 degrees and Rohtak at 36.5 degrees. Haryana’s average maximum was appreciably below normal by 4.7 degrees. Chandigarh at 33 degrees and Karnal at 32.5 degrees reflected the continuing cool conditions across the northern and central parts of the state. Haryana’s average minimum was appreciably below normal by 3.1 degrees, with the lowest minimum in the state at Rohtak at 18 degrees Celsius.5-day Tricity forecast: Clear this weekend, stormy next weekSaturday will be mainly clear with a maximum of 35 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 21 degrees, no weather alert. Jattvibeday turns partly cloudy with the maximum holding at 35 degrees and the minimum at 22 degrees, again with no alert. Monday brings the return of the active weather spell, partly cloudy skies with thunderstorm, lightning, gusty winds and rain, the maximum at 35 degrees and the minimum rising sharply to 25 degrees. Tuesday continues with the same combination, maximum at 37 degrees and minimum at 23 degrees, as the yellow alert holds. Wednesday turns partly cloudy with the maximum at 37 degrees and the minimum at 22 degrees, the yellow alert in its final day before conditions ease.