Heavy rain and snowfall have been forecast for Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand as an ‘intense’ western disturbance and its offspring cyclonic circulation consolidated grip over the region.
According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), thunderstorms, hailstorms and gusty winds may impact the Jammu Division, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, North Rajasthan and North Madhya Pradesh.
“The week that follows (February 8 to 14) would once again witness excess rain over the North-West, the South Peninsula, entire East Coast, and North-East India,” the IMD said adding that back to back intense western storm is the reason behind the rain, thunderstorm and hailstorm.
“Continuous snowfall in Kashmir over the past 24 hours has resulted disruption of essential services in most of the districts in the valley with electricity supply infrastructure suffering severe damage,” officials said.
The snowfall, which ranged between six inches in Srinagar to nearly three feet in some areas of South Kashmir, has blocked many roads within the valley, the official said.
This untimely rains and hailstorm damaged potatoes, grams and other rabi crops in UP, Bihar, Punjab and Haryana.
The South Peninsula will see rain mostly from the seas around Sri Lanka and adjoining Tamil Nadu as well as the southern parts of the Bay of Bengal witnessing some activity.
Meanwhile, North-West India could get hit by another western disturbance from the weekend, generating more snow and rain over the hills and thunder-showers over parts of the adjoining plains.