North India To Escape Pre-Monsoon Heat: Stay Pleasant Till Mid-April
Representational Image: AI-Skymet
Key Takeaways:
- Early March heat across North India has eased, bringing cooler and pleasant conditions.
- Multiple Western Disturbances will keep temperatures suppressed through late March.
- Rainfall activity will continue intermittently across plains and mountains.
- Pre-monsoon heat is now likely to be delayed until the second half of April.
The pre-monsoon heat over North India, which seemed to have caught up early in the month, has now eluded. The second half of March is on track like a typical transition month from winter to spring, remaining pleasant for the plains across the region. The persistent flow of Western Disturbances over the mountains and support circulations in the plains will keep the region cooler than normal, supposedly till mid-April or even beyond.
In continuation from the month of February, which was largely dry, March stayed on the same track. The rainfall was scanty, and the winter chill receded rather early in the month, giving a feel of early and severe summer. Most parts of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi witnessed rising mercury levels, much beyond normal, hinting at a harsh summer ahead in the season. Cities like Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Patiala in Punjab reached 33°–34°C. Locations like Ambala and Karnal were no different. Parts of Rajasthan started scorching under extreme heat, and the mercury breached 38°C and 39°C in Ganganagar and Churu, respectively. However, the pattern has reversed now. The day temperatures have lowered and are placed in the high 20s or close to 30°C for many days. Even the minimum temperatures plunged far below normal, bringing back a wintry feel. Yesterday, Ludhiana was the coldest among the plains of the country, with a minimum of 11.2°C.
With a series of disturbances moving across the mountains and ‘off and on’ rains in the plains, there is no sharp rise in the mercury expected. On the contrary, the wintry chill is likely to sustain. A Western Disturbance is likely to arrive late on 25th March and will be closely followed by another active Western Disturbance on 28th March. Under the influence of these weather systems, North India, both the mountains and plains, is likely to witness wet spells in the respective regions. The activity will be strong enough to keep the temperatures suppressed. Typical pre-monsoon conditions, with feelers of hot and dry summer, will roll over to the second half of April.
