india

Updated: Jan 24, 2020 05:36 IST

A fresh western disturbance — the seventh this month — that is likely to affect the western Himalayas early next week could bring widespread snowfall and rain to the hills and plains in many parts of northern India on January 28 and 29, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD)’s weather bulletin on Thursday.

Strong surface winds (20-25 kmph) are likely over the northern plains, causing mainly dry weather over northern India, till Sunday, except over Jammu and Kashmir, where scattered rain is also likely.

On Thursday, Delhi witnessed gusty winds that reached up to 35kmph.

India Meteorological Department scientists said northwesterly winds bringing cold air from the Himalayas will continue impacting the region for the next two to three days.

K Sathi Devi, head, National Weather Forecasting Centre, said, “...we are not expecting any major drop in minimum or maximum temperature right away.”

Devi added: “Most of the activity due to the approaching WD [western disturbance] will be in the hills. Northern parts of Rajasthan and Punjab will also be impacted. We have had seven WDs including four intense WDs so far. The outlook for post-January 28 depends on whether another WD will affect the region immediately after that.”

Usually, there are three western disturbances on an average in January.

“We are expecting light rain again in Delhi on January 28. There will also be shallow fog. In some years, WDs are more. Last year, we had above average number of WDs,” said Kuldeep Shrivastava, head, Regional Weather Forecasting Centre.

RK Jenamani, a senior scientist at National Weather Forecasting Centre, said, “The approaching WD is a very active one, which is likely to trigger rain activity up to northeastern states. Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Sikkim are likely to get rain between January 29 and February 1. We cannot say immediately why there are more WDs this year. Global meteorological factors also have an influence.”

On Wednesday, Delhi’s air quality index stood at 370, in the very poor category. It improved to 211, in the poor category, on Thursday.

According to the ministry of earth sciences’ Air Quality Early Warning System, the air is likely to improve further and remain in the moderate category on Friday due to the strong northwesterly winds, which are helping disperse pollution particles.

Rainfall in January is 116% above normal, with most of IMD subdivisions (321 of 683 districts) receiving large excess (60% or more than normal) rainfall including in most parts of north and central India.