Weathermen have predicted a cold and wet start to the year 2025 with the possibility of rain and snow, along with dense fog, over parts of north-west India over the next few days. This is an extension of the prevailing wet spell that has turned the severe rain deficit in the region to a massive surplus.
“Cold wave conditions are likely to commence over parts of north-west India from December 30,” a bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday stated. Dense to very dense fog over this region is also expected during the next 2-3 days, the bulletin added.
A western disturbance in middle tropospheric westerlies roughly over west Pakistan and adjoining Iran. “It is very likely to cause light isolated to scattered rainfall and snowfall over the Western Himalayan region from January 1-4, 2025,” IMD said.
A fresh western disturbance in quick succession is likely to affect north-west India from January 6, 2025, the IMD further said. Western disturbances are extratropical storms that originate in the Mediterranean region, bringing sudden winter rain to the north-western parts of the Indian sub-continent.
Over the past 24 hours, light to moderate rain was experienced at most places in Punjab, with thunderstorms, hailstorm and dense fog being reported from a few areas.
With a downpour of 51.7 mm during this period, SBS Nagar was the wettest district in the state, followed by Hoshiarpur with 40.5 mm and Gurdaspur with 35.7 mm.
Winter rains, which were deficient in Punjab by as much as 96 per cent till a few days ago, are now massively surplus by 149 per cent due to the widespread rain experienced in many parts of the state over the past few days.
From December 1 till December 29, Punjab received 24.7 mm rain compared to the long period average of 9.9 mm for this period, according to IMD data. Post-monsoon seasonal rainfall since October 1 has also turned surplus by 17 per cent.
The minimum temperatures prevailing in Punjab over the past 24 hours ranged from 5.8 degree Celsius at Bathinda to 13.4 degree Celsius at Mohali, which was above normal at a few places by up to 6.9 degrees, IMD data revealed.
The weathermen have predicted a fall in minimum temperature over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi by 3-4 degrees Celsius during the next 3 days and no significant change over the subsequent few days. Dense fog and cold wave conditions over some places have also been predicted till January 3.
