IMD predicts widespread rainfall over parts of North India next week

Western disturbances are storms that originate in the Mediterranean region and bring winter rain to northwest India. The national capital has seen a prolonged dry spell this winter with no rainfall all through November, December and January so far, making this the longest such dry spell in the winter in about six years.

The IMD predicts a rise in the minimum temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius over most parts of Central India till January 22 and in East India by 2-4 degrees Celsius during the next 5 days. Thunderstorm accompanied by hail is likely at isolated places has been predicted over Himachal, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand on January 23 and 24.

Meanwhile, cold wave conditions in the national capital have abated, as the city recorded a a maximum temperature of 23.3 degrees Celsius, two notches above normal on Saturday. The weather office has forecast mist for Sunday with the minimum and maximum temperatures likely to settle around 8 degrees Celsius and 23 degrees Celsius respectively.

Cold conditions continued to affect Punjab and Haryana on Saturday, with Hisar being the coldest place in the region, recording a minimum temperature of 3.5 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Chandigarh, meanwhile, settled at 5.8 degrees Celsius.

Minimum temperature dipped in Rajasthan’s Bikaner and Jaipur divisions on Saturday with Karauli being the coldest place in the state, recording a minimum temperature of 3.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Pilani at 3.9 degrees.