The areas affected by western disturbances (dark, white and green) over northwest India are in sharp contrast to the dry and hot areas (yellow and red) associated with central India and the south peninsula. | Photo credit: www.meteologix.com/in
An update from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the hills and plains of northwest India have been hit by inclement weather due to a back-to-back western disturbance that has merged between Pakistan and India, which may continue for the second day on Friday.
Before the merger, the first disturbance was observed as a trough in the high atmosphere over far south-east Iran/adjacent North Arabian Sea/south-west Pakistan, while the second disturbance was observed as a cyclonic circulation at very low altitudes over northern Pakistan.
toxic effect
The toxic effect of the merged entity was observed in the form of widespread to widespread rainfall/snow from Wednesday evening to Thursday; storm; lightning; high winds; And even hail. The subsequent disturbance arriving on Monday will be ‘intense’ in terms of depth, strength and potential to cause severe weather over northwest India.
Mantra for South Peninsula
Meanwhile, the IMD has predicted isolated heavy rain over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on Sunday as an easterly wave emerges from the Bay of Bengal and interacts with the westerly flow coming from a western disturbance that moves southwards.
An upper cyclonic circulation is waiting over the southeast Arabian Sea to control the easterly flow from the Gulf. Thunderstorms and lightning have been forecast over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on Sunday and Monday, and neighboring Kerala and Mahe on Monday.
heavy rain, snowfall
In the weather outlook for the northwest, the IMD said fairly widespread rainfall/snowfall is likely over Jammu and Kashmir-Ladakh; Himachal Pradesh; And Uttarakhand on Friday. Widespread light to moderate rainfall is likely over Punjab on Friday with isolated/scattered light to moderate rainfall over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and light to moderate rainfall over East Uttar Pradesh on Friday and Saturday.
storm, hail
Thunderstorm, lightning and wind speed up to 60 km/hr (gusting to 40-50 km/hr) are likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh; Himachal Pradesh; Punjab; Rajasthan; On Uttarakhand; Haryana; Chandigarh; Delhi and Uttar Pradesh on Friday. Heavy rain/snowfall is likely over Kashmir Valley and higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Friday, while heavy rain will occur over Punjab on Friday. There is a possibility of hailstorm in Himachal Pradesh; Uttarakhand; Haryana; Western Uttar Pradesh; Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh; Punjab; And North Rajasthan on Friday.
Published on January 22, 2026
