The Hindu Business Line : Dipping westerlies fan moisture to northwest

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec. 19 A trough in the westerlies dipping to as low as 13 degree south latitude caused moisture from the available pool over southwest Arabian Sea to be sprayed fountain-like over Pakistan and adjoining northwest India on Friday as well.

The low latitude (along Bangalore and Vellore in Tamil Nadu) westerlies to southwesterlies fanned moisture in a north-northeast direction, pouring it down over north Gujarat, west Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and into the western Himalayas.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) expected the rain and snowfall activity to continue over the next two days as well. Associated cloud cover ensured that the mercury stayed above normal by 4 to 7 degree celsius over northwest and adjoining west-central India.

VARYING ANOMALY

The anomaly was as high as 8 to 10 degree celsius over most parts of Rajasthan and some over Gujarat. The elevated mercury levels would stay as such for so long as the wet session lasts.

The temperatures are expected to fall drastically as the warm, moisture-laden payload moves away east-northeast, exposing cold and sinking air at the rear of the disturbance. This is expected to ring in cold wave conditions.

Moisture spilling into the east of the country set up fog over east Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and parts of west Uttar Pradesh and the Northeastern States. Shallow fog, deteriorating further to poor visibility conditions, has been forecast for Delhi for early Friday morning.

SNOW AND RAIN

An IMD outlook said rain or snow is likely at many places over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh during the next two days. Rain or snow is likely at a few places over Uttarakhand.

Isolated rain or thundershowers have been forecast for Punjab and Haryana while it would be isolated over Gujarat and Rajasthan. Minimum temperatures are forecast to fall over northwest, east and central India from early next week.

This would likely set off a cold wave over these regions since the incoming high-pressure region (anti-cyclone) with its core over south Gujarat-Mumbai would drive in cold northwesterlies across the border.

Forecast for the next two days said that rain or thundershowers are likely at a few places over south coastal Tamil Nadu. Isolated thundershowers have been forecast over the rest of the State, Puducherry, Lakshadweep and south Kerala.

Though sapped by invading westerlies, the trough of low-pressure over southwest Arabian Sea and neighbourhood held on gamely. The other trough over southwest Bay, off Sri Lanka-Tamil Nadu coasts too, persisted.

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