IMD predicts rain this week; will cold wave return to Delhi, north India?

IMD has flagged a possible cold wave revival in Delhi and north India, along with dense fog in the plains and rain and snowfall over the western Himalayan region later this week

Cold wave conditions could return to Delhi and large parts of north India later this week as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast rainfall across the region due to active western disturbances. The expected precipitation may lead to a fresh dip in temperatures, intensifying cold conditions once the rain spell passes.

 

According to the IMD, a series of western disturbances moving across the western Himalayan region is likely to influence weather over north India from mid-week onwards. While the immediate impact will be in the form of cloud cover and light to moderate rain, particularly over the plains, the post-rainfall phase could see cold wave conditions redevelop as temperatures fall sharply.

 

In Delhi, minimum temperatures have hovered in the single digits in recent days, with dense fog persisting during early morning hours. Although daytime temperatures have seen marginal improvement, the IMD has cautioned that rainfall later this week may reverse the brief warming trend. In the national capital, the minimum temperature is likely to remain between 7 to 9 degrees Celsius, while the maximum is likely to hover around 23 to 25 degrees Celsius.

 

Parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are also likely to experience similar conditions, with foggy mornings, chilly nights and a renewed cold wave risk once rainfall subsides. Meteorologists note that such patterns are typical during January when western disturbances bring rain followed by cold northerly winds.

Hills brace for rain and snowfall

In the Western Himalayan region, the weather outlook shifts from cold plains to mountain skies with heavy cloud cover. The IMD forecast indicates that light to moderate snowfall and rain are likely in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand later this week.

 

Snowfall is expected especially in higher reaches of Kashmir and the Himachal hills between January 22 to 24, with isolated heavy snow possible around January 23.

 

In the higher Himalayan belts, Srinagar’s minimums of around –2 degrees Celsius and sub-zero readings in Sonamarg were recorded.

 

Lower hill stations like Shimla and Manali may see intermittent snow or rain, light at first, but becoming more widespread mid-week as the western disturbance lifts moisture into these regions.

Fog and cool days in central and east India

Across central and eastern India, daytime temperatures will remain below seasonal averages, with cold mornings likely alongside patchy fog, particularly in Bihar and adjacent areas. Although rain is not expected immediately, intermittent cloudiness may keep temperatures from rising sharply.

Southern India to remain cool but mostly dry

The southern peninsula is projected to experience mild to cooler conditions, with some areas seeing slight dips in temperatures typical of late January. Recent regional forecasts suggest no major rainfall events across most of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in the immediate term, though scattered showers cannot be entirely ruled out in coastal districts.

 

Bengaluru, for instance, has seen a modest drop in both day and night temperatures, leading to cool daytime highs and chilly mornings compared with earlier in the month.