Rains, thunderstorm likely in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana

Widespread rainfall accompanied by thunderstorm is expected in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana on Wednesday evening owing to severe western disturbances that is moving eastward from Pakistan, said the Met department.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, hailstorm and squall with wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph in the region.

Over 30 people are reported to have died so far due to the havoc played by adverse weather conditions in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh.

Private forecaster Skymet said rain and thunderstorm with strong winds and isolated hailstorm activities are likely to occur over Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and some other parts of Haryana on Wednesday evening.

Squall is also expected in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while eastern states of West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand are likely to receive showers as part of pre-monsoon activities.

Delhi and surrounding areas have already witnessed rain and dust-storm in the last 24 hours, bringing mercury down by 5-6 degrees Celsius.

Delhi saw overcast sky for majot part of the day on Wednesday.

The active western disturbance over east Iran and neighbourhood has been moving eastward through Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwest India since Monday.

It has caused development of cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan and neighbourhood at lower tropospheric levels.

The IMD said dust-storm and thunderstorms accompanied by light rain would occur in east Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Vidarbha and Marathwada regions in Maharashtra on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Skymet said rains are also expected in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

--IANS

spk/nir