Northwest India Battles Widespread Rainfall and Thunderstorms
Bathinda and surrounding regions in Northwest India have witnessed significant weather activity, with fairly widespread to widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph over Himachal Pradesh. This intense weather pattern has brought scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall, along with thunderstorms, to Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh, disrupting daily life and agricultural activities.
Hailstorm Activity and Upcoming Western Disturbance
In addition to the rainfall, isolated hailstorm activity has been recorded over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana, posing risks to crops and infrastructure. Looking ahead, a fresh western disturbance is expected to affect Northwest India starting from the night of January 30. Under its influence, scattered to fairly widespread rainfall or snowfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching 30-40 kmph, is likely over the Western Himalayan region and adjoining plains of the Northwest on February 1-2.
IMD Forecast: Dense Fog and Cold Wave Conditions
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), dense fog conditions are anticipated during morning and night hours in isolated pockets over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh from January 28 to 30. Furthermore, cold wave conditions are likely in isolated pockets over Himachal Pradesh during January 29-31, and over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh from January 28 to 31, potentially impacting health and transportation.
Temperature Trends in Punjab and Haryana
Despite the cold wave warnings, temperature data reveals a notable rise in minimum temperatures. In Punjab, as compared to Monday, an increase of 3.6°C in the average minimum temperature was recorded till Tuesday morning, with temperatures recorded above normal by 3°C in the state. The lowest minimum temperature in Punjab was noted at 7.7°C in Ludhiana.
Similarly, in Haryana, a rise of 4.5°C in the average minimum temperature was observed till Tuesday morning compared to Monday, with temperatures recorded above normal by 1.9°C in the state. The lowest minimum temperature in Haryana was recorded at 5.8°C in Gurgaon, indicating fluctuating weather patterns across the region.
