An intense spell of rainfall/snowfall activity is likely over the western Himalayan region from February 17-20 and adjoining plains of northwest India from Feb 19-21, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) mentioned.
Owing to a fresh active western disturbance, fairly widespread rainfall/snowfall accompanied by thunderstorms is likely to hit Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh from Feb 18-20 and Uttarakhand on February 19 and 20.
Rains likely in parts of the country
As per IMD, scattered to fairly widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and hail with gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 gusting to 50 kmph) likely over Punjab during 18-20; Haryana, Chandigarh, and west Uttar Pradesh during Feb 19-21 and over Rajasthan on Feb 19.
During the next five days, a cyclonic circulation lies over central parts of Chhattisgarh and a trough runs from North interior Karnataka to this circulation in the lower tropospheric levels.
Additionally, on account of the anticyclone over the north Bay of Bengal would result in light to moderate rainfall over Vidarbha, north Chhattisgarh, Gangetic West Bengal, Sikkim, and Jharkhand.
Delhi to see clear skies with moderate weather conditions
As per the MeT department forecast, the national capital would see a mainly clear sky today with moderate fog in the morning. Minimum and maximum temperatures are expected to hover around 9 and 26 degrees Celsius, respectively.
On Thursday, Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 26 degrees Celsius, while the city’s minimum was 8.8 degrees Celsius, two notches below the season’s average.
The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi has shifted from the ‘very poor’ category to the ‘poor’ category, with a reading of 279, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
On Wednesday, the AQI stood at 356 at 9 am.
Minimum temperature forecast
As per IMD, no significant change in minimum temperatures is likely over Northwest India during the next 2 days and rise by 2-3 °C thereafter.
Meanwhile, a fall in minimum temperatures by 2-3°C is likely over East India during the next 3 days and a rise by 2-3°C for the subsequent two days.