Rainfall, cold wave to hit northwest India next week

Widespread rainfall accompanied by cold wave-like conditions would engulf entire northwest India next week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast on Friday.

"Two western disturbances in quick succession would be affecting northwest India during the next one week. The first would be quite intense and favourably located to cause severe weather across northwest India from January 19 to 22 with peak intensity on January 21," an IMD release said.

Widespread rainfall or snowfall over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand has been predicted between January 20 and 22.

Plains areas, especially Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, would also receive heavy rain with gusty winds on January 21-22, the IMD said in the forecast.

Thereafter, the second western disturbance, would affect the western Himalayan region and the plains of northwest India from January 24 to 26, though it would be of lesser intensity, according to the release.

A drop in the maximum temperatures by 3-4 degrees Celsius over northwest India from January 21 is also expected due to change in weather.

"In view of cloudy sky and easterly and southeasterly winds, minimum temperatures are also expected to increase by 4 to 6 degrees Celsius during the next four days," it said.

Due to a fall in maximum temperature and widespread rains, the IMD has also forecast dense to very dense fog which would engulf states like Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and north Rajasthan for the next 1-2 days and abate from the region thereafter.