The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued extensive weather warnings as active western disturbances continue to affect various regions of India. Over the past several days, the Western Himalayan Region and Northwest India have been experiencing significant weather activity, and the IMD forecasts these conditions will persist throughout the upcoming week.
On February 20, 22, and 23, the trough over the north Bay of Bengal is expected to bring scattered light to moderate rain, along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 km/h across Gangetic West Bengal. States neighboring this region, like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha, are also predicted to experience similar weather phenomena.
According to the IMD, two active western disturbances are positioned to bring scattered light to moderate rain and snowfall today over Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and Himachal Pradesh. Isolated light rain and snow across these areas will likely continue until February 23. Uttarakhand, on the other hand, is anticipated to face hailstorm activity on February 20.
Meanwhile, the IMD has raised alerts for Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, indicating isolated light to moderate showers are scheduled to occur today. Further, weather forecasts suggest another fresh western disturbance will hit Northwest India starting February 24. Under this influence, regions including Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Muzaffarabad can expect light to moderate rain and snow on the 24th and 25th.
Meanwhile, coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam could see similar weather patterns on February 22 and 23, as cyclonic circulation begins developing over Northeast Assam. This could result in widespread light to moderate rainfall across Arunachal Pradesh from February 20 to 25, and isolated to scattered rainfall activity across Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim over the next seven days. Thunderstorms and lightning are likewise expected over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Meghalaya from February 20 to 23.
The IMD has also reported significant fog conditions recently. Some areas have seen dense to very dense fog, which dropped visibility levels to between 50-199 meters. Gangetic West Bengal and parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, and Meghalaya experienced this weather challenge, impacting daily travel and visibility.
Specific weather alerts extend to Himachal Pradesh as well, with the IMD's Shimla office issuing an orange alert due to anticipated heavy rain and snowfall over parts of the districts, including Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi. The IMD reported, “Heavy rain and snowfall is expected over parts of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu and Mandi districts.” This means tourists and locals alike must prepare for possible travel disruptions.
Tourist destinations in Himachal Pradesh, such as Kufri, Narkanda, and Manali, are predicted to witness several light snowfall spells, along with one or two moderate snowfall spells expected over the next few days. Light snowfall will likely occur across many places, and moderate snowfall may be observed too, particularly affecting the higher reaches of districts like Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Chamba, Shimla, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi from midnight on February 20 until the morning of February 21.
Accompanying the snowfall, thunderstorms and lightning are expected, especially across the districts of Solan, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Una, which may see light to moderate rain and thunderstorms. The IMD indicates significant changes are also anticipated for maximum temperatures, expected to plummet by 6-7 degrees Celsius across various regions on Thursday, followed by a rise of 4-5 degrees Celsius Friday and Saturday.
The mood of the weather is about to shift dramatically across the national capital, Delhi, as well. According to IMD forecasts, rain with thunderstorms is anticipated to arrive at night due to the western disturbance, accompanied by strong winds. With temperature readings expected to range from 9-11 degrees Celsius, Delhi may also experience maximum temperatures of around 26 to 28 degrees Celsius through February 23.
Rain alerts have been issued for various states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Western Uttar Pradesh, Eastern Rajasthan, Odisha, Gangetic West Bengal, Western Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. Houses and communities should brace for potential weather conditions like thunderstorms and lightning from February 20 through February 23. Alerts for regions including Gangetic West Bengal and Bihar remain active, with rain expected intermittently throughout this period.
The IMD’s weather updates reflect the broader patterns related to India’s seasonal shifts, emphasizing significant climate variability leading to both localized and widespread weather phenomena across the nation. Residents are advised to stay updated through local forecasts as conditions evolve over the coming days.