The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in its latest bulletin has predicted heavy rainfall in scattered areas of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. Hailstorms were reported in isolated places in Himachal Pradesh and Vidarbha. Severe heat wave conditions are also warned by IMD in Odisha today and in Gangetic West Bengal from April 19th-21st, 2024.
IMD’s Forecast and Warnings:
A new Western Disturbance, which started as a cyclonic circulation over Iran and nearby regions in the middle and upper tropospheric levels, is expected to impact Northwest India today. This disturbance is likely to bring fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall/snowfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds over Jammu Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and Himachal Pradesh from 18th April to 21st April, and over Uttarakhand on April 18th and 19th, 2024.
Isolated rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds are expected over Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi from April 18th to 20th; West Uttar Pradesh and East Rajasthan on April 19th; and West Rajasthan from April 18th to 19th, 2024. Isolated hailstorms are likely over Himachal Pradesh on April 18th and 19th, and Uttarakhand on April 19th, 2024. As per IMD, heavy rainfall/snowfall will occur over Jammu Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, and Muzaffarabad on April 19th, 2024. Strong surface winds are likely over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh from today and will continue till April 19th.
A cyclonic circulation is present over northeast Bihar and adjoining Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, and another over northeast Assam in lower tropospheric levels.
Temperature to Watch:
An upsurge in maximum temperatures by 2-3°C is very likely over East and parts of south peninsular India for the next 3 days, with no significant change afterwards. There is no remarkable change in maximum temperatures expected over northwest India for the next 2 days, followed by a fall of 2-3°C for the subsequent 3 days.