After most of the winter passed by sans rain and snowfall, the weather is set to take a turn with heavy rain and snowfall forecast in the State on Wednesday and Thursday. The State meteorological centre has issued an orange warning (Alert) regarding the possibility of heavy rain/snowfall likely to occur at isolated places in the mountainous regions of the State today. Further, thunderstorms accompanied with lightning/hail are likely to occur at isolated places in the districts of the State. Light to moderate rain/snowfall is likely to occur at most places in the districts of the State. In addition to this, snowfall is likely to occur at places situated at altitudes of 2,500 metres and above in the State today. The State meteorological centre director Bikram Singh said that rain and snowfall is likely in the mountainous districts on January 31 and February 1.

The meteorological centre has further forecast that the provisional State capital Dehradun is likely to witness a partly to generally cloudy sky. Light to moderate rain/thunderstorm accompanied with lightning/hail is also likely to occur. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be about 17 degrees Celsius and eight degrees Celsius respectively in Dehradun on Wednesday.

The maximum and minimum temperatures recorded in various parts of the State on Tuesday were 21.9 degrees Celsius and 6.8 degrees Celsius respectively in Dehradun, 22.6 degrees Celsius and 5.1 degrees Celsius in Pantnagar, 14 degrees Celsius and 0.6 degrees Celsius in Mukteshwar and 14.6 degrees Celsius and 2.9 degrees Celsius in New Tehri.

It is pertinent to mention here that Uttarakhand has been suffering from a major deficit of rain and snowfall during the winter season this year with negligent weather activity being witnessed from November till date. This has had a considerable effect on agriculture and also tourism to some extent. Experts state that weak and reduced frequency of western depression has resulted in this situation. It remains to be seen whether the rain and snowfall forecast in the State compensates to some extent for the deficit suffered so far.