Delhi and several parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) woke up to light rain and cloudy skies on Wednesday morning, 18 February. The showers brought a short spell of relief after days of unusually warm weather for this time of year. According to the latest bulletin from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rain, isolated thunderstorms, gusty winds and even hail may affect parts of north and central India over the next 24 hours.
Cooler Morning in Delhi-NCR
Pre-dawn rain in Delhi led to lower morning temperatures and partly cloudy skies. Intermittent gusty winds were reported in a number of areas. The IMD said wind speeds could reach 30 to 40 kmph in isolated places, particularly during thunderstorms.
Maximum temperatures in the capital are expected to fall by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius over the next two days before gradually rising later in the week. Minimum temperatures may see a slight increase at first, before dipping again as the weather system moves eastwards.
Rain and Snow in Northern States
The IMD said the change in weather is due to an active western disturbance affecting northwest India. Under its influence, isolated rainfall or snowfall is likely in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and parts of West Uttar Pradesh on 18 February.
Isolated rain accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of up to 30-40 kmph is also likely in Haryana and Rajasthan. Thunderstorms and lightning may also affect parts of West Madhya Pradesh. Hailstorms are expected at isolated locations in Punjab, Haryana and East Rajasthan, the department added.
Temperature expected to dip
The IMD said daytime temperatures across the plains of northwest India are likely to fall by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius over the next two days, followed by a gradual rise. While the current system may bring short-term relief from the warmth, the weather agency warned that above-normal temperatures are likely to return in the coming days.
