Heavy rain, snowfall in North as rare ‘low’ looms in Bay

As forecast in these columns, both North-West India and the Bay of Bengal are preparing to host rare weather-setting systems presaging heavy snowfall/rain and hailstorm over North and Central India and rough seas in the Bay.

India Met Department (IMD) has upgraded to class-topping ‘intense’ category an itinerant western disturbance buffeting North and North-West India, while a rare low-pressure area may spring up in the Bay by tomorrow (Monday).

‘Intense disturbance’

The IMD traced the ‘intense’ western disturbance on Sunday evening to its perch over Afghanistan with a trough aloft with its axis linking Afghanistan, Central Pakistan, North Rajasthan, Delhi, and adjoining northern parts of West Uttar Pradesh. As is usual with the case of deep or intense disturbance, the visitor has induced the formation of an offspring cyclonic circulation over Central Pakistan and adjoining West Rajasthan.

This circulation will set up most of the weather even as the parent western disturbance watches, and takes own time to traverse Afghainstan and Pakistan to enter North Gujarat/West Rajasthan/Jammu & Kashmir over the next few days.

Rain and hailstorm

Both the hills and plains of North-West India would start witnessing lot of weather unfolding from Sunday. The IMD has given out the likely pattern for three days as follows:

Sunday: Heavy rain/snow at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir. Hailstorm at isolated places over the Jammu division; the lower regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and North Rajasthan.

Dense fog at isolated places over Coastal Odisha due to a cyclonic circulation over North-East India. Squally weather with wind speed up to 50 km/hr gusting to 60 km/hr over South-West Bay (likely depression). Fishermen are advised not to venture out.

Monday: Heavy rain/snow at a few places and very heavy at isolated places over Jammu & Kashmir; heavy to very heavy at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh; and heavy at isolated places over Uttarakhand. Heavy rain at isolated places over Punjab.

Depression in Bay?

Hailstorm at isolated places over the Jammu division and the lower regions of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand; Punjab; Haryana; Chandigarh; Delhi; West Uttar Pradesh; and North Rajasthan.

Squally weather with wind speed reaching up to 50 km/hr gusting to 60 km/hr over equatorial Indian Ocean adjoining South-West Bay. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas.

Tuesday: Heavy rain/snow at a few places over Jammu & Kashmir; heavy at a few places with isolated very heavy over Himachal Pradesh and heavy at isolated places over Uttarakhand. Heavy rain at isolated places over Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi.

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