New Delhi, Friday February 10, A Western Disturbance affected Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the last four days causing moderate to heavy snowfall, mainly over Jammu & Kashmir. Light rainfall also occurred over the plains of northwest India.

The weather system’s movement eastwards has led to gradual clearing up over northwest, west and adjoining central India, facilitating cooling by radiation. A steep north-south pressure gradient also led to the setting in of strong cold and dry north-northwesterly winds over northwest and adjoining west/central India that caused further fall in minimum temperatures.

Minimum temperatures have dropped by 3-8°C over east Uttar Pradesh and east Madhya Pradesh, north Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra and by 3-5°C over Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, west Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, west Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

Such dip in mercury levels has triggered severe cold wave conditions over most parts of northwest, west and central India. Development of cold wave conditions though infrequent in the month of February but is not unusual.

Minimum temperatures would remain stable over northwest and adjoining central & west India during the weekend. Severe cold wave conditions would persevere over many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, west Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra during the next couple of days.

A fresh Western Disturbance is expected to reach northwest frontiers by February 11 and cause moderate to heavy rain or snow over Western Himalayan region between February 12 and 14. Light rain and thundershowers may also occur over plains of northwest including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and west Uttar Pradesh February 13 onwards.

The incoming weather systems would bring in a churn in winds as cold and dry northwesterly winds decamp. Minimum temperatures will start rising by 4-6°C over northwest India between February 12 and 14, leading to abatement of prevailing cold wave conditions Sunday onwards.

Frost conditions may also transpire over Punjab, Haryana and north Rajasthan tomorrow as conditions of temperatures (surface and dew point) are likely to be met.

The post rainfall period over northwest India is unlikely to be marked by any fog events as rains would be very light and isolated, unable to gather enough moisture content in the environs for fog. Mist conditions may manifest over the region.