Thursday was a gloomy rainy day for most parts of North India. While tourists in popular hill stations enjoyed widespread heavy snowfall, intermittent light rain in the plains disrupted normal life.
The Western Disturbance moving across Jammu and Kashmir played in tandem with the cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan and adjoining areas to bring widespread rain and snowfall across North India.
Rain in North and East India
In a span of 24 hours from 8.30 am on Thursday, Safdarjung Observatory in Delhi received 6.5 mm of rain. Chandigarh received 23.2 mm of rain and Patiala 3 mm of rain. In Haryana, Ambala received 25 mm of rain, Karnal 3 mm and Hisar 1 mm of rain. In Uttar Pradesh, Bareilly received 22 mm of rain, Lucknow 5 mm and Gorakhpur 0.4 mm.
Rain was widespread in Jammu and Kashmir with Bhaderwah and Qazigund receiving 11.6 mm and 7.6 mm of rain, respectively. Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand received good amounts of rain and snowfall. In the foothills Dharamsala received 25 mm of precipitation; Manali and Kullu in the middle areas received 23.2 mm and 13 mm, respectively; Keylong in the higher reaches received 7 mm of precipitation.
Rain is now on a receding note in the plains and will find clearance very soon. However, higher reaches of the hilly states will continue receive light rain and snowfall.
Rain in Central India
In Madhya Pradesh, Guna received 1 mm and Satna 3 mm of rain on Thursday. Akola in Maharashtra also received 4 mm of rain.
Another circulation over Rajasthan and adjoining Madhya Pradesh region will continue give rain over Madhya Pradesh and central and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh over the next 3 days.
This system will track northwards, closer to Delhi-NCR, by January 26. Therefore, we cannot rule out the possibility of some rain towards the second half of Republic Day.
Rain in South India
In coastal Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Karaikal received very light rainfall. This spell of rain is an extension of the Northeast Monsoon current, which mainly remains confined to extreme southern parts of the country during the second half of January. However, the easterly wave keeps travelling northwards very often, bringing light rain over Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas.
