Winter ends with fewer snow events and on a warm note

The rainfall departures from normal over these states stood at: Jammu and Kashmir (10 per cent), Ladakh (35 per cent) and Himachal Pradesh (30 per cent) for January and February.

During winters, the passing of western disturbances influence local weather causing precipitation either in the form of snow or rainfall. But last month, these streams were fewer and less intense, IMD officials observed.

“In February, there were fewer intense western disturbances that crossed the country which led to fewer snowfall events along the Western Himalayan regions,” said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, director general, IMD.

But the associated induced cyclonic circulation caused widespread rainfall over West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, east Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, the IMD director general said.

This year, rainfall during January and February ended up being 44 per cent excess, most of which was contributed by rainfall in January (129 per cent). On the contrary, rainfall during February remained minus 18.6 per cent.

Significant excess rainfall was recorded over Uttar Pradesh (105 per cent), Haryana (175 per cent), Chandigarh (184 per cent), Delhi (229 per cent) and Punjab (161 per cent) till February 28.

“Rainfall activity remained largely limited to Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Jammu division and along the Gangetic plains this winter,” Mohapatra said.

Initially, it was thought that the winter season, this year, would be severe, as the prevailing La Nina conditions are known to favour cold waves and colder than normal conditions. But it was not realised.

La Nina is the abnormal cooling of the sea surface temperatures recorded along the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Being an ocean phenomenon, it influences global temperatures and rainfall.

“Climatologically, La Nina years see colder conditions and intense cold wave spells, which was not realised in the winter season this year. It shows that La Nina is not the only parameter for intense cold waves,” he added.

With the year’s winter officially having concluded, February saw above normal maximum temperatures over central and northwest India regions, whereas these areas along the south peninsula experienced warmer nights too, noted IMD scientists.