A fresh western disturbance has brought a sudden change in weather across India, triggering rain, thunderstorms, and gusty winds in several states. The IMD has issued alerts for lightning and heavy rainfall, especially in northeastern and hilly regions.
Sudden Weather Shift Brings Thunderstorms
New Delhi: Amid the rising heat in the country, the weather has suddenly changed. An active western disturbance and cyclonic circulation have triggered thunderstorms, strong winds, and rain in several states. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and heavy rain in the coming days, which could lead to frequent fluctuations in temperatures.
The main reason for this change in weather is the western disturbance, which originates in the Mediterranean region and reaches North India. Currently, this system is active over Punjab. The influence of the subtropical jet stream and cyclonic winds is rapidly increasing cloud formation. According to the Meteorological Department, another new western disturbance has become active since March 17, which will further destabilize the weather in the coming days.
The weather will be more pronounced in the western Himalayan regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh. Light to moderate rain is expected here, along with snowfall in the higher elevations. This could lead to a drop in temperatures and increased cold.
The weather is also expected to remain poor in the central and eastern parts of the country. Jharkhand, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura have been warned of severe thunderstorms and lightning, with wind speeds reaching 40-50 kmph. Rain and strong winds are also expected in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.
The weather could worsen in the northeastern states. Heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms is expected in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya. These areas could receive 64.5 to 115.5 mm of rainfall, with the risk of thunderstorms also remaining.
According to the Meteorological Department, temperatures in northwest India could rise by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius over the next three days, followed by a drop of 4 to 7 degrees Celsius. A slight drop in temperatures may also be observed in central and western India.
In the past 24 hours, Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh recorded 3 cm of rain, and Manali-Kangra recorded about 2 cm of rain. Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh also received 2 cm of rain. Washim in Maharashtra and Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh recorded a maximum temperature of 40.5°C, while Gurdaspur in Punjab recorded a minimum temperature of 10°C.
