Light Rain and Thunderstorms Provide Relief from Heat in North India
Parts of northern India, particularly the plain regions, have received light rain accompanied by thunderstorms over the past 24 hours, offering a welcome respite from the recent intense heat. This weather shift has brought cooler temperatures and improved conditions across several states.
Delhi Experiences Morning Drizzle and Rainfall
Many areas of the national capital, Delhi, witnessed drizzle in the morning hours. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), approximately 8 mm of rainfall was recorded until 8:30 am. Specific locations in Delhi reported varying amounts of precipitation: Safdarjung and Lodhi Road each recorded 0.8 mm, Palam received 0.4 mm, Ayanagar had 2.6 mm, and Pitampura recorded the highest at 3.5 mm.
Mahesh Palawat, vice president of meteorology and climate change at Skymet Weather, explained the cause: "Due to a western disturbance approaching the western Himalayas, cyclonic activity has developed over central Pakistan adjoining Punjab and Haryana. As a result, parts of Delhi witnessed rainfall." He added that this marks the season's first pre-monsoon rain, arriving about 10 days earlier than usual, with more rain expected in the coming days.
Uttar Pradesh Sees Temperature Drop and Forecast
Uttar Pradesh also experienced light rain, leading to a noticeable drop in temperatures across several parts of the state. The Meteorological Centre in Lucknow indicated that the weather system triggered by western disturbances is likely to remain active until March 16. After this period, conditions are expected to turn dry on March 17 and 18, resulting in a slight rise in temperatures.
However, another active western disturbance is predicted to affect the region from March 19, bringing a fresh spell of rainfall. This is expected to start from western Uttar Pradesh and spread to several parts of the state until March 21, potentially bringing temperatures back to normal levels. The IMD has issued warnings for moderate thunderstorms with lightning and light to moderate rain over districts such as Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Hapur, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Baghpat, Bijnor, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, and Saharanpur. Additionally, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds with speeds of 40-50 kmph are forecast across the state, with isolated places in eastern Uttar Pradesh possibly experiencing hailstorms.
Rajasthan and Other Regions Affected
Rajasthan experienced a brief spell of light showers on Sunday, with the local weather office stating that conditions across the state are expected to remain largely dry on March 16 and 17. However, a fresh and strong western disturbance is likely to become active over the region between March 18 and 21, bringing the possibility of thunderstorms, gusty winds with speeds of 40-50 kmph, and rainfall at isolated places. The impact is expected to peak on March 19 and 20, affecting parts of the Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Jaipur, and Bharatpur divisions.
In Kashmir, higher reaches including the Gulmarg tourist resort received fresh snowfall, while plains were lashed by rains on Sunday. Areas like Apharwat and Kongdoori bowls in Gulmarg saw snowfall, and Pir Ki Gali in Shopian district and the Sonamarg Zojilla axis also received fresh snow. The snowfall on the Zojilla Pass led to the closure of the Srinagar-Leh national highway. The wet weather has lowered day temperatures across the valley, with another wet spell likely on March 24-25.
Similarly, Himachal Pradesh received snowfall in higher-altitude regions such as Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts. Shimla and surrounding areas experienced thunderstorms accompanied by hail and rain. Rainfall amounts varied: Bhuntar recorded 12 mm, Mandi and Manali 8 mm each, Kufri 7 mm, Solan 6.4 mm, Shimla 6 mm, Sundernagar 5 mm, Dharamshala 3 mm, and Kangra 2 mm. Kalpa and Neri received 1.8 mm each, while Jubberhatti recorded 1 mm. Dark convective clouds reduced visibility in some areas, and light snowfall was observed in upper hills of Manali, including the Atal Tunnel. Videos of tourists enjoying the snow near the tunnel have circulated widely online, boosting tourism prospects.
The Shimla meteorological office forecasts light rain and snow in the state until March 21. In contrast, a heat wave was noted in Nahan, which recorded a maximum temperature of 30.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday and 28.7 degrees Celsius on Sunday, while Tabo was the coldest at night with temperatures dropping to 1.4 degrees Celsius. A fresh western disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from the night of March 17.
