IMD predicts light rain over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi in next 24 hours

India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said the Western Disturbance is likely to cause light isolated rainfall over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi during the next 24 hours.

"The Western Disturbance as a cyclonic circulation lies over Afghanistan and neighbourhood between 2.1 and 3.6 km above mean sea level. Under its influence, scattered to fairly widespread rain/snow is likely over Western Himalayan region during next 24 hours. It is very likely to cause light isolated rainfall over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi during same period," IMD said in its bulletin.

The weather department also predicted dense fog in isolated parts over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next 24 hours.

"Dense fog likely in isolated parts over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during next 24 hours and over Odisha, Assam and Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during 48 hours in night/morning hours," read the bulletin.

A few regions in Himachal, including Shimla city, received snowfall today. Snow clearance work is underway on National Highway - 5 between Charabra and Kufri in Shimla district.

The air quality in the national capital today plunged to 'very poor' category with overall AQI docked at 322 at 8:50 am, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

An AQI between 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 is satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor and 401-500 is marked as severe or hazardous.