Western disturbance is passing across Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, as an upper-level system. Another one approaching tomorrow, will nearly overlap. Weather activity will continue for the next three days. Short break and another system arrive on 26th March. This system will keep the activity going over the hill, right till the month's end.
Frequent passage of the western disturbance has been lashing the mountains with rain and snow, adequately for the last about 2 weeks. Weather activity has been light to moderate for the last week or so. Snow has been confined to the higher reaches. Rain and thundershowers have occurred over the lower and mid reaches. In the past 24 hours, fairly widespread rainfall has been witnessed over Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. It has rained over Banihal, Qazi Gund, Batote, Kupwara, Srinagar, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Jammu and Udhampur. Rains reached parts of Himachal Pradesh and light to moderate rainfall was recorded over Chamba, Kangra, Dharamshala, Kullu, Manali, Mandi and Sundernagar.
Weather activity has been confined to the hills only. Plains of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi have remained largely dry. However, the widespread activity over the mountains has checked the usual rise of temperature over the plains, at this point in time. Most locations in Punjab and Haryana have not touched the 30°C mark. Amritsar, Bhatinda, Ferozepur, Pathankot, Ludhiana, Patiala, Ambala, Karnal, Rohtak, Kurukshetra and Chandigarh have all recorded day temperatures in mid and high 20’s. Seasonal heat is yet to catch up over these parts. Even East Rajasthan, Delhi and West Uttar Pradesh have measured suppressed mercury levels during this month, so far.
Fairly widespread rain and snow over the hills will have a ripple effect over the plains. Winds from the slopes of snowy mountains will continue to sweep the plains. This pattern will arrest any abrupt rise of mercury level for the next about 10 days. Seasonal progression of mercury level will take the day temperature close to 30°C over most of these locations over the next week. Night temperatures will remain in the mid-teens, and Humidity levels will remain low to moderate. Overall, the weather conditions will remain in the comfort zone across the plains of north India. However, heat is likely to catch up in April with temperatures rising to the high 30’s during the day. Incremental rise is likely in the night temperatures as well.
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