Heavy rain, snow likely in these states till January 9; Check IMD’s full forecast here

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said that under the influence of western disturbance Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are likely to witness heavy rainfall and snow, while Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajsthan need to embrace for rainfall in the region. 

In a bulletin, the IMD said: "There is a Western Disturbance as a trough in westerlies in lower & middle tropospheric levels with its axis at 5.8 km above mean sea level. Under its influence, an induced cyclonic circulation has formed over southwest Rajasthan and adjoining Pakistan at lower tropospheric levels.

"There is moisture feeding from Arabian Sea over northwest India and likely to continue during next two days. Scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall is very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, north Rajasthan, West Uttar Pradesh till January 6; isolated to scattered over south Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Madhya Pradesh, and East Uttar Pradesh on January 5 and 6."

Thereafter, an intense Western Disturbance is very likely to affect Northwest India from the night January 6 onwards and under its influence, an induced cyclonic circulation very likely to form over southwest Rajasthan and neighbourhood on January 7, the IMD said.

Snowfall in Jammu:

As per the Indian Meteorological Department, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, there will be heavy rainfall and snow today as the western disturbance is very active in that region. RK Jenamani, Senior IMD Scientist said, "As I have told earlier about the warning, in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, there will be heavy rainfall and snow today as the western disturbance is very active in that region."

He stated, "It will again be active on January 6 which will lead to the heavy rainfall in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and mountain regions like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand will also see heavy rainfall and snowfall." 

Yellow alert in Himachal Pradesh

The weather agency issued an yellow alert in Himachal Pradesh for 48 hours forcasting heavy rains. IMD (head) of Himachal Pradesh, Surender Paul, told ANI, "A yellow alert of 48 hours has been issued in districts like Shimla, Chamba, Lahaul Spiti, Kullu, Shimla, Sirmaur and Mandi. There is also high probability that these districts receive heavy snowfall too."

Paul also added that during last 24 hours, areas imcluding Lahaul-Spiti, Kullu, Kinnaur, Shimla, Sirmaur, Chamba & Mandi received light snowfall due to a western disturbance. Consistent snowfall lilkely to occur in Himachal Pradesh, especially the middle and high-altitude areas for the next 4-5 days. 

Foggy morning in Delhi: 

Residents of the national capital woke up to a foggy Thursday morning, with the maximum and minimum temperatures being recorded at 20 and 12 degrees Celsius, respectively, according to the IMD forecast. The IMD has further forecast light rain with a generally cloudy sky for the next three days.

Despite light rainfall in the national capital, the city`s Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the `very poor` category at 342 on Thursday, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

There would be a wet spell over northwest and central India till January 9 and no cold wave conditions are likely over north India during the next 6-7 days, the Department had said earlier this week.

Light rainfall likely over UP, Rajasthan

Scattered to fairly widespread light/moderate rainfall is likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, north Rajasthan and West Uttar Pradesh during January 5 to 7 and light isolated rainfall is also likely over west Madhya Pradesh on January 5, said IMD. 

Light rain fall in Madhya Pradesh

RK Jenamani, Senior IMD Scientist said, “Madhya Pradesh and East Uttar Pradesh will also see light rainfall as the western disturbance will move. The second western disturbance which is coming will hail storm in Madhya Pradesh on January 8 and January 9," he added.

Meanwhile, the weather department also stated that the western disturbances are likely to leave all the states on January 8 or 9, leading to improvement of weather conditions. 

RK Jenamani, Senior IMD Scientist had said, "Western disturbance is likely to leave on January 8 at night or by morning on January 9, but the maximum impact will be seen in Madhya Pradesh and Eastern Uttar Pradesh on January 9. There is no other western disturbance from 9 January onwards in our monitoring. After that, the weather will improve."

"The weather will improve tomorrow because the impact of western disturbances will be less. However, it will lead to bad weather again after January 7 across all the states. There are chances of light to moderate rain on January 8 as it will be the peak of the second western disturbance," he further said.

(With agency inputs)