Useasonal rains over north-western parts and adjoining central and eastern parts are now expected to last another 10 days, if not more.
Outlook posted by the US Centre for Climate Prediction shows the enhanced weather-making western disturbance activity lasting beyond March 15.
All the rest Met sub-divisions in north-west India have entered either ‘normal’ or ‘excess’ rainfall category, though with not entirely desirable results for the standing Rabi crops. The unseasonal rains, accompanied hail and high winds, have flattened some of them, if reports emanating from upcountry farmlands are any indication.
But the unsettled weather is not apparently done with yet, as signalled by the outlook from India Met Department.
It sees rain and snow-driving western disturbances crossing the international border and entering north-west India back-to-back during the weekend and into the next.
Thunderstorms Lingering moisture from a western disturbance that left north-west India to the east and out of the country triggered thunderstorms over Punjab and Uttarakhand on Wednesday.
East and north-east India too witnessed rain/thundershowers during the last 24 hours in line with the easterly track of the disturbance.
The Met said that convective (rain and snow-causing) clouds hung over parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, a follow-up western disturbance lay parked in anticipation over north Pakistan, with an offspring cyclonic circulation having already sneaked into west Rajasthan.
Next in line would be a stronger western disturbance with a reach extending into the north Arabian Sea and fanning up moisture into central India and north-west India.
Interactive rain This will set up an interaction with easterly winds blowing in from the Bay of Bengal, setting off high winds, hail or thundershowers. The areas likely to be impacted on Sunday are Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada and north interior Karnataka.
Meanwhile, the US agency is of the view that Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu) may also get to see some rain during the two weeks under reference.
Only difference is that the rains will grow in intensity during the second week (March 11 to 17) apparently due to enhanced churn in the Bay of Bengal.