A significant shift in weather conditions is expected across north India as an intense western disturbance begins affecting the region on Thursday, January 22, bringing widespread rain and snowfall to the western Himalayan belt and a gradual rise in temperatures across the plains.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), fairly widespread to widespread rainfall and snowfall are likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh on January 22. The system is expected to be particularly active over higher altitudes, while its impact on the plains will unfold more gradually.
Devendra Tripathi, founder of Mausam Tak and a weather vlogger associated with Kisan Tak, said the western disturbance will strengthen as it approaches the western Himalayan region due to increasing moisture inflow from both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. He noted that light cloud cover is expected to persist between Kashmir and Uttarakhand as the system advances.
“Tomorrow, in the first half, in north India, there may be fog in some parts of Punjab and nearby areas,” Devendra said, adding that fog conditions could affect visibility during the morning hours on January 22.
Also read: Western disturbance to bring snow to Kashmir this week
The IMD has also issued warnings for thunderstorm activity, lightning and gusty winds over Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, with wind speeds likely to reach 40 to 50 kilometres per hour. While snowfall and precipitation are expected over the hills on Thursday, Devendra clarified that there is “no possibility of any such activity in the plains” until later in the week.
Cloud cover is expected to increase from the night of January 22, with the most significant weather activity across the plains forecast for the following day. As the system progresses, minimum temperatures across northwest India are expected to rise gradually by two to four degrees Celsius over the next two days, offering some respite from the ongoing cold wave conditions.
In the national capital, New Delhi, the mercury is likely to inch upwards, with the IMD predicting a maximum temperature of around 21 degrees Celsius. Devendra said that after noon on January 22, a noticeable change in air movement is expected, with medium-speed winds of around 20 to 25 kilometres per hour at a slight height.
While the higher reaches brace for snowfall, dense fog continues to pose concerns for early-morning commuters in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, even as temperatures begin a gradual upward trend.
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