Weather Update: IMD predicts above normal temperatures in South India, snowfall in these states

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning over East and Central India on Saturday, March 16.

Over the next four to five days, the maximum temperatures are expected to remain above the normal mark by 3-4 degrees Celsius in isolated pockets of south Vidarbha, Telangana, Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu. Over the remaining parts of Peninsular India, the temperature will remain 1-3 Degrees Celsius above the normal mark, the weather department said in its bulletin.

The weather agency has predicted scattered to fairly widespread rainfall with isolated thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds ranging between 30-40 kmph over Gangetic West Bengal from Saturday till March 20.

Moreover, isolated to scattered light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) is expected over Jharkhand, Odisha, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh and East Madhya Pradesh between March 16 and March 20.

Isolated hailstorm is also expected over the Vidarbha region on Sunday and Monday (March 17 and 18) and in East Madhya Pradesh on March 18 and 19.

A fresh western disturbance will likely affect the western Himalayan region starting from the night of March 20. Due to this, isolated light rainfall and snowfall are expected over Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh from March 20-21 and over Himachal Pradesh on March 21.

Besides this, isolated to scattered rainfall and snowfall is very likely over Arunachal Pradesh and light rainfall over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura till March 21, the IMD said.

The maximum temperatures are expected to remain above normal in pockets of south Vidarbha, Telangana, Rayalaseema and Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are likely to experience hot and humid weather during the next two days, while a similar situation is expected in Kerala and Rayalaseema during the next five days, the weather department noted.

“No significant change in maximum temperatures very likely over East India during next 3 days and fall by 2-4 Degree Celsius thereafter,” IMD said.

It further predicted a gradual rise in maximum temperatures by 2-3 Degrees Celsius over West and Northwest India during the next 4-5 days.