National Weather Forecast and Temperatures: Wednesday, January 29

The western disturbance over North Pakistan and adjoining Jammu & Kashmir and its offspring cyclonic circulation over North-East Rajasthan will continue to bring fairly widespread to widespread rain/snow over the hills of North-West India (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand) through the day today (Wednesday).

Rain, thunderstorms for plains

India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects light to moderate scattered/ fairly widespread rain/ thunderstorm until tomorrow (Thursday) morning over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, while it would be scattered rain or thunderstorms with lightning over East India. Dense fog is forecast to descend over the plains of North-West India during the next three days and over Rajasthan during the next two days. Meanwhile, the IMD expected a fresh though feeble western disturbance to enter North-West India by Friday. Yesterday (Tuesday), the highest day temperature of 36.8 degree Celsius was recorded at Punalur (Kerala), and the lowest night temperature of 6.6 degree Celsius was recorded at Bahraich (East Uttar Pradesh) over the plains.

Dense fog to follow 

According to The Weather Company, an IBM Business, the western disturbance would bring widespread rain/ snow and thunderstorms over the hills of North-West India and scattered rain and thunderstorms mainly over the northern parts of the Punjab plains. It will spread East towards the Gangetic plains while weakening. Snow accumulation of 5 cm to 50 cm is possible over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

A clear sky above the Vikasa Soudha building in Bengaluru, on Wednesday. Pic: GRN Somashekar

After the disturbance abates, its remnant moisture would scatter dense fog widely over the Punjab plains on Thursday morning. Air quality in the Punjab and the Gangetic plains can be expected to improve after rainfall. Meanwhile, dry north-westerly winds and moist south-westerly winds have converged over East India, producing thundershowers over Odisha, the plains of Bengal, and the adjoining areas. The activity will increase during the course of this (Wednesday) afternoon, before abating tomorrow (Thursday).

Rains to migrate to East India

The ongoing isolated rainfall and mountain snow over North-East India will peak on Thursday due to moisture brought in by the western disturbance, The Weather Company said. The activity will gradually ease from Friday, but linger on in Arunachal Pradesh until the weekend. Other areas will experience dry conditions in this forecast period. Maximum temperatures are expected to dip by 2 to 8 degree Celsius or less over the northern half of the country during the remainder of this week. In contrast, the overnight minimum across the eastern Gangetic plains will look up by 2 to 8 degree Celsius, warmer than normal, until midweek. Clearing skies and cooler north-westerly winds will bring them back to average or lower into the weekend.

Thunderstorms, lightning, hail

Meanwhile, an IMD outlook for the next five days said dense fog is likely over parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, north Rajasthan and Odisha today. Thunderstorms accompanied with hail and lightning is forecast over Uttarakhand; with lightning at isolated places over East Uttar Pradesh, the plains of Bengal and Odisha. Cold day conditions (day temperatures not exceeding 16 degree Celsius) are likely in isolated parts over Uttarakhand.

As for tomorrow (Thursday), the IMD has forecast dense fog to descend over isolated parts over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, North Rajasthan, Bihar and Odisha. Thunderstorms accompanied with lightning are likely over the hills of Bengal and Sikkim.

On Friday, dense fog is forecast over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Thunderstorms accompanied with hail and lightning is likely at isolated places over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

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