Region experiences widespread thunderstorm, rain

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 10

The Western Himalayan Region and plains of northwest experienced widespread rains and thunderstorm accompanied with squally, gusty winds on Sunday —a weather condition the IMD expects to continue over the next 36 hours.

It may ease around May 12, although a fresh Western Disturbance is likely again around May 14, the IMD said.  Under its influence a fresh spell of rains and thundershowers has been predicted by the weather office for the WHR and adjoining northwest plains over the next day or two.

Also, due to a trough and wind discontinuity, isolated to scattered rain and thundershowers are very likely over central and south peninsula during the next four to five days. Rains and thundershowers are also likely to continue over northeast in next 4-5 days, with peak activities between May 12 and 14.

THE IMD said a combination of factors is contributing to the weather conditions across the country. In the north, a Western Disturbance persists over central Pakistan and neighbourhood along with a cyclonic circulation over north Rajasthan and neighbourhood. A trough is running from the cyclonic circulation over north Rajasthan to north Chhattisgarh across south Haryana and northeast Madhya Pradesh.

Meanwhile a trough or wind discontinuity is now running from south Vidarbha to south Tamil Nadu coast across Marathwada, Madhya Maharashtra, Interior Karnataka and interior Tamil Nadu. In the east, a cyclonic circulation persists over northeast Bangladesh and adjoining Meghalaya along with one over south Andaman Sea and adjoining Sumatra coast, the IMD said.

The fresh Western Disturbance over the Western Himalayan Region on May 14 is expected to result in lightning, hail and gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, West Rajasthan, Jammu and  Kashmir and Ladakh.

The IMD, which has been issuing weather bulletin for Gilgit-Baltistan and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir for some time now, has predicted similar weather for its this meteorological subdivision as well.