Prolonged wet spell imminent over several parts of India: IMD
What's the story
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a prolonged wet spell over several parts of India from March 30. The weather department has warned of thunderstorms, hailstorms, and strong winds in different parts of the country. Northwestern regions are likely to witness widespread rain and snowfall due to active western disturbances.
Weather forecast
Storm forecast for Himalayan states
The IMD has predicted rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds at speeds of 30-50km/h over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand on March 30. Another spell is likely around April 2-3. The weather office also warned of isolated heavy rainfall and snowfall over the Kashmir Valley on March 30. Hailstorms are likely in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and eastern Rajasthan on the same day.
Regional impact
Widespread rain in Northeast
The eastern and northeastern states are also likely to witness significant rainfall in the coming days. The IMD has forecast fairly widespread rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura till early April. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Assam and Meghalaya between March 30 and April 1.
Temperature shift
IMD flags subtropical jet instability
The IMD also said that a subtropical westerly jet stream with core wind speeds of around 80 knots, nearly 150km/h, is currently prevailing over northern India. This is contributing to unstable weather conditions. Temperature patterns are likely to change during the week with maximum temperatures across northwest India expected to drop by 2-4 degrees Celsius initially before rising again by up to five degrees Celsius by early April.
Regional weather
Isolated storms in central India
Central India, including Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh, may witness isolated rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds till April 2. Hailstorms are likely over parts of west Madhya Pradesh on March 30 and across Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh on March 31. In western India, Gujarat, Madhya Maharashtra, and Marathwada are likely to receive scattered rainfall with lightning and gusty winds through early April.
Capital weather
Light rain for Delhi NCR
For Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the IMD has forecast partly cloudy to generally cloudy skies between March 30 and April 1. Light rain or drizzle with thunderstorms and lightning is likely during the afternoon or evening hours on March 30-31. Daytime temperatures are expected to remain between 28 and 31 degrees Celsius during this period, slightly below normal for late March.