Delhi woke up to a cold, foggy, and rain-soaked morning on March 21 as an active western disturbance moved across northwest India, bringing a rare cold spell in March to the capital city.
The temperature remained in the range of 16 degrees Celsius, which is much lower for this time of the season, and a layer of mist and low cloud cover reduced visibility in some parts of the city. Rainfall in the city throughout the night and early hours of the morning, along with a windy spell, made it a morning that felt like late winter, not the beginning of the season of summer.Currently, India is experiencing a dynamic and widespread weather pattern, which is being caused by an active western disturbance and a number of cyclonic circulation systems, which are bringing rain, thunderstorms, and variable temperatures, as per the latest IMD bulletin. Weather in the Himalayan belt and peninsular India is quite varied and, in some places, intense.
Northwest India: Rain, thunderstorms, and temperature dip
Northwest India, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, has been affected by a western disturbance. This has caused fairly widespread light to moderate rain, along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 30-40 kmphThis has been reflected in the form of cooler days, cloud formation, and improved air quality in places such as Delhi
All India weather update
Northwest India has experienced a drop in temperatures, as the maximum temperature has fallen by 2-3 degrees Celsius, making it feel unusually cool for MarchThe Western Himalayan region, including Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, has experienced heavy rain and snow, as well as hailstorms
East and Central India: Stormy conditions intensify
The eastern and central parts of the country are experiencing more volatile weather. The states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh are experiencing widespread rainfall with thunderstorms and strong winds reaching up to 50-60 kmph, which might increase during thundersquallsThe Indian Meteorological Department has also issued a warning of hailstorm activity in these states, which might affect crops as well as infrastructure.
The sub-Hmalayan regions of West Bengal and Sikkim are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall, especially on March 21.
Northeast India: Persistent rain and severe weather
The northeastern states, which include Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and the northeastern hill states, are expected to experience continuous rain along with thunderstorms in the coming daysWhile some parts of Assam and Meghalaya are expected to experience heavy rain, gusty winds of up to 50 kmph, along with isolated cases of hail, are also expected to add to the prevailing weather conditions.
The northeastern states are expected to experience unstable weather for the next five days.
South India: Thunderstorms and humidity
The southern parts of peninsular India are also experiencing scattered weather activities. The southern parts of India, which include Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, are expected to experience light to moderate rain along with thunderstorms and gusty windsIn addition to this, hot and humid weather is also expected to set in over Kerala, coastal Karnataka, and Konkan and Goa in the coming days, thus indicating a sharp contrast to the rain that is being experienced.
West India: Isolated showers and gradual warming
Western parts of India, including Maharashtra, are expected to experience isolated rain and thunderstorm activity with an occasional hailstorm. At the same time, there is a gradual increase in temperatures by 2-4 degrees Celsius, indicating an increase in temperatures, thereby marking the beginning of a new phase of warmer temperatures.Overall, it can be noted that India is passing through a phase of transition from late winter to early summer, with active weather activity.
Although rain and thunderstorm activity are bringing much-needed relief from rising temperatures, it can be noted from the IMD that temperatures are expected to rise again in most parts of the country.With multiple weather activity systems at play, including western disturbances in northern India and cyclonic circulations in central and southern parts of India, it can be noted that the coming days are expected to remain active with rain, thunderstorms, and rising temperatures.
