NEW DELHI: Delhi-NCR experienced another bout of heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms on Thursday, marking the second consecutive day of unexpected weather amidst bone-chilling winter temperatures. The downpour, which commenced on Wednesday morning, has led to road blockages and widespread waterlogging across the city, exacerbating the challenges faced by residents already grappling with harsh winter conditions. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the inclement weather is expected to persist throughout the day today.
Delhi-Narela recorded the highest rainfall (25 mm) from 0830 (Jan 31) to 0530 hours (Feb 1): IMD pic.twitter.com/IvNjjVXdv2
— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2024
IMD’s Weather Prediction
According to the IMD, one weather system is currently traversing Delhi, bringing light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds to several areas. Another weather system originating from Rohtak and Jhajjar in Haryana is en route to Delhi, which is likely to bring another round of rainfall and thunderstorms within the next few hours.
Impact Across the Region
The heavy rains have affected various parts of the national capital, including RK Puram, Safdarjung, INA market, Sarai Kale Khan, and Lodhi colony, which witnessed substantial rainfall on Wednesday.
Additionally, regions in the Western Himalayas, such as Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, have also experienced rainfall and snowfall, expected to continue over the next few days due to the influence of western disturbances.
Regional Forecast and Outlook
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Delhi has forecasted thunderstorms with light to moderate rainfall in specific areas of Delhi and NCR, including Gurugram and Jhajjar in Haryana. Similarly, parts of Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand are likely to witness light to moderate snowfall in the coming days.
Earlier forecasts by IMD suggested scattered to fairly widespread rainfall over Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Delhi, with isolated to scattered rainfall over Uttar Pradesh and East Rajasthan between January 31 and February 1.
Despite the challenging weather conditions, IMD has assured that no cold wave conditions are expected across the country in the next five days, providing some relief to residents amid the inclement weather.