NEW DELHI: A fresh western disturbance will hit the western Himalayan region, triggering a wet spell in the next seven days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. Isolated heavy rain and snowfall is likely over Kashmir Valley on January 22-23, while similar conditions are expected over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on January 23.
Dense fog is also very likely at isolated places over Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh during the next two to three days, which could disrupt road, rail and air traffic. The IMD advises commuters to remain cautious and take precautionary measures, warning that poor visibility can lead to road accidents.
According to the IMD, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad are likely to experience isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall and snowfall during January 20-21 under the influence of western disturbance. Intensity is expected to increase thereafter, with fairly widespread to widespread rain and snowfall forecast over the western Himalayan region during the 22nd-26th. January. Isolated heavy snowfall and rain is likely over Kashmir Valley on 22-23 January and over upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on 23 January.
In the plains, in the period 22–24 Isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall is likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and West Uttar Pradesh during January; Eastern Uttar Pradesh on 23-24 January; and Rajasthan on 22-23 January.
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The IMD also warned of thunderstorm activity accompanied by lightning and gusty winds (30-50 kmph) over parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh during January 22-26. Separately, thunderstorms are likely over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on January 24.
Meanwhile, minimum temperatures across large parts of the country are expected to remain largely stable in the immediate term, followed by a gradual warming trend, according to the latest outlook.
“Northwest India is unlikely to see any significant change in minimum temperatures during the next two days. However, temperatures are expected to gradually rise by 3-5°C over the next five days, signaling a gradual easing of cold conditions,” said a senior IMD scientist.
Farmers in Himachal Pradesh have been advised to use light and frequent irrigation of standing crops in the evening to protect them from cold stress or cold damage.
In central India, minimum temperatures are forecast to remain stable for the next two days, followed by a gradual increase of 2-4 °C over the next three days, after which temperatures are likely to stabilize.
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Maharashtra is not expected to see any major change in minimum temperatures during the next 24 hours. After that, a gradual increase of 2-4°C is likely over the next five days. Across the rest of the country, minimum temperatures are not expected to show significant changes in the coming days.
In the last 24 hours till 8:30 am on Tuesday, the minimum temperatures at several places in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand ranged between 1-4°C. Temperatures of 5-9°C were recorded at many places in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi and a few places in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Isolated pockets of Odisha, Bihar, Manipur and Meghalaya also reported similar temperatures. In the rest of the country, minimum temperatures remained at 10 °C and above, except in the higher regions of the Western Himalayas, where temperatures dipped below 0 °C. The lowest minimum temperature over the plains was recorded at 2.8 °C at Amritsar in Punjab.
