The southwest monsoon continues to keep Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana waiting, with the region once again slipping back into hot and humid conditions after only brief pre-monsoon showers over the past week.Despite repeated thunderstorm forecasts, meaningful rainfall has remained elusive across the Tricity, prolonging the wait for the season’s first sustained monsoon spell. Meteorologists say the monsoon is yet to make further significant progress into northwest India, leaving the region under the influence of typical pre-monsoon weather marked by rising temperatures, high humidity and isolated thunderstorm activity.Friday’s yellow alert for thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds at isolated places once again failed to make any noticeable impact in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula. Barring passing clouds at places, no significant rainfall or thunderstorm activity was reported till the filing of this report.According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Chandigarh’s maximum temperature rose to 38.9 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature also increased, reflecting a return of warm and uncomfortable nights after the brief cooling witnessed earlier this week. Mohali reported a similar trend, with both day and night temperatures edging upwards. Across Punjab and Haryana, average maximum and minimum temperatures also registered an increase and remained near to above normal, underlining the revival of hot weather conditions.The latest IMD outlook offers little immediate relief. Maximum temperatures are expected to remain around 39 degrees Celsius from Saturday through Tuesday, before dipping marginally by about 2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. Night temperatures are also forecast to rise further by around one degree, with minimum temperatures in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula expected to hover between 26°C and 27°C during the coming week.Although Saturday continues under a yellow alert for thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph at isolated places, the weather office has indicated that rainfall activity is likely to remain scattered and highly localised.Thereafter, no weather warning or alert has been issued for Jattvibeday, Monday or Tuesday, pointing to largely stable weather conditions. However, the IMD has once again placed the region under a yellow alert for Wednesday and Thursday, when isolated thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds could return.Throughout the forecast period, partly cloudy skies with scattered showers at isolated places are expected across Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana. However, no widespread rainfall event is currently in sight, and any showers that do occur are unlikely to bring sustained relief from the prevailing heat.An IMD meteorologist said the region continues to remain in a pre-monsoon transition phase.“The atmosphere still has enough moisture to trigger isolated thunderstorms, which is why intermittent yellow alerts are being issued. However, there is no strong synoptic weather system over northwest India to support widespread rainfall. Until the southwest monsoon advances further into Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana, weather conditions will remain hot and humid with only isolated, short-duration showers. Temperatures are expected to stay close to 39 degrees during the day, while nights will gradually become warmer over the next few days,” the meteorologist said.For residents, the outlook remains largely unchanged: hot afternoons, increasingly warm nights, occasional cloud cover and isolated showers, while the wait for the southwest monsoon and any meaningful break from the summer heat continues.