The Hindu Business Line : Rain & sleet in North, alert on fog

Parts of the north and northwest of the country have been brought under wet climes, with a deep westerly trough dictating weather in what are considered good conditions for rabi wheat.

"There's persistent cloudiness over Rajasthan and the northern parts of Punjab, and intermittent spells of rains have been reported from these regions," said Dr K.J. Ramesh of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).

RAIN AND SLEET

The rain and sleet extended to Delhi on Tuesday in what is a signal to the presence of a persisting favourable circulatory pattern in the northwest. In the hills, for instance, it has been snowing for a third successive day on Tuesday. The hill station of Gulmarg witnessed a `White Christmas' after many years.

But, the National Capital would have to deal with fog conditions from mid-week, threatening to throw flight and train services into disarray once again.

Uttaranchal and Himachal have joined the snow party lately. Speaking to Business Line from Shimla, Dr Akhilesh Gupta, also of the DST, said it has been snowing there from Christmas Eve, proving right a forecast he had made on December 11 (14 days in advance).

Dr Ramesh said the assessment by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society of Columbia University of normal or above normal rainfall in north and northwest India during January and February 2007 `sounds reasonable.' This should go to boost the prospects for the rabi paddy crop.

According to Dr Ramesh, the maximum day temperatures will stay below the critical threshold of 35 degree Celsius during January and February. He would be rather concerned about the climes warming up enough by March in time for the harvest.

Else, the standing crop would be faced with the live threat of hail, which is a usual occurrence during that time of the year. In its update on Tuesday, the National Centre for Medium Term Weather Forecasting said that a western disturbance lay over Jammu and Kashmir and the adjoining area. It is likely to be active over the western Himalayas and adjoining plains of the northwest during the next 36 hours.

Under its influence scattered snowfall/rainfall is likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal on Tuesday and Wednesday. Isolated rain/thundershower is expected over Punjab, Haryana and west Uttar Pradesh.

With the western disturbance expected to leave further east leaving behind the rain and snow, the night temperatures are likely to fall by 4-5 degree Celsius over northwest India, the Gangetic plains and adjoining Central India for three days from Wednesday.

This will trigger a cold wave in the north. Fog conditions are likely to develop over Punjab, Haryana (including Delhi) and west Uttar Pradesh during this period.

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