Respite from rain, snow as low-pressure area weakens

Thunderstorms stalked a northwest-to-southeast track linking Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, hills of West Bengal and Sikkim with Chhattisgarh into the afternoon on Monday.

India Met Department updates suggested that a weather-setting low-pressure area over Rajasthan had dissipated, signalling some respite from the rather inclement and violent weather in the region.

The 24 hours ending Monday morning saw rain or snow being dumped at most places of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

In the plains, rain or thundershowers lashed most places over east Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and west Madhya Pradesh.

In the east, similar weather spread itself out over Bihar, east Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Arunachal Pradesh.

In the peninsula, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Vidarbha, Marathwada and Telangana saw occasionally heavy to very heavy showers due to interaction of the westerly winds with the easterlies. Coonoor in hilly Tamil Nadu was pulverised with 12 cm of very heavy rainfall during this period.

Rainfall intensity is expected to come down significantly although some agencies suggest that parts of the South, especially south Tamil Nadu and Kerala, might continue to witness varying spells.

The US Climate Prediction Centre is of the view that parts of west Rajasthan, western Maharashtra and Telangana would also witness passing showers during this week.

India Met sees rain or thundershowers over the South and north-eastern States from Friday to Monday until when forecasts were valid.

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts suggests excess rainfall for southern peninsula, especially towards the Tamil Nadu region, during April-May-June.

The UK Met Centre is of the view that the temperature would be cooler than normal over entire India during this period, thanks likely due to the occasional rain happening all over.