NEW DELHI : In view of a fresh western disturbance predicted to bring intense rainfall, thunderstorms and snowfall over western Himalayas and the plains of northwest India for the next six days, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for northern states such as Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh.
The weather events will likely bring fairly widespread moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning over the western Himalayan region, and hailstorms in various other places till February 22. The IMD has issued an advisory that warns of disruption of electricity and landslides in hilly areas, as well as road blockages, washing out of roads and bridges, and flooding in low-lying areas.
The special IMD advisory also suggested precautionary measures such as avoiding underpasses, low-lying areas and kutcha houses. The agricultural scientists are, meanwhile, worried about the standing wheat crop, as intense rains would adversely impact them.
Dr Gyanendra Singh, director of the Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, said that the current wheat crop requires less rainfall and no thunderstorm. “Our standing wheat crop can tolerate up to moderate rainfall,” Singh said, adding, “We need to look into the details of which areas of crops are in which stage. Intense rainfall with thunderstorms and hailstorms would not augur well for the crops.”
The IMD observed that minimum temperatures are in the range of 9-12°C over most parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and north Rajasthan. This is almost below normal by 1-3°C in these places and above normal over the rest of north India.
The lowest minimum temperature of 6°C was reported at Hisar in Haryana on Saturday. The IMD forecasted a gradual rise in minimum temperatures by 2-4°C over East India in the next four to five days. However, there would be no significant change in minimum temperatures over the northwest and central India during the next five days. The northeast region will witness isolated light to moderate rainfall due to cyclonic circulation, it said.
IMD ADVISORY
Intense rainfall, thunderstorms and snowfall over western Himalayas and plains of northwest India for next six days (till February 22)
Orange alert issued for northern states such as Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh
Disruption of electricity and landslides likely in hilly areas. Road blockages, washing out of roads and bridges, and flooding likely in low-lying areas
Fairly widespread moderate to heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder storms and lightning likely over the western Himalayan region, and hailstorms in other places.