With lights rains, winter knocks on Delhi's door

New Delhi, Nov 22 (UNI) After relatively warm weather in the post-Diwali weeks compared to previous years, winter seems set to make its onset in Delhi with the capital today experiencing light rains, a development the weatherman attributed to rains and snowfall in the western Himalayan region.

Misty conditions continued to prevail in Delhi even as the minimum temperature dropped to 14 degrees Celsius. And, though the maximum stood at 28 degrees Celsius, which was the normal temperature for this time of the year, heavily overcast conditions were witnessed afternoon onwards.

The weatherman attribute the coolness in weather in Delhi to rain and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal and rainfall in Uttaranchal, Punjab and Haryana over the past 24 hours.

The turnaround in the weather in the North West region is a direct offshoot of a Western disturbance over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, they said.

They also forecast the possibility of a sharp fall in mercury in Delhi in the next few days due to a hailstorm over Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Punjab and North Haryana during the next 24 hours.

''The ongoing precipitation activity in Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Punjab and North Haryana is likely to continue for another 24 hours. Also, with subsequent eastward movement of the western disturbance, the minimum temperature is likely to fall by 2-4 degrees Celsius over Northwest India from tomorrow onwards,''they said.

The weatherman has forecast a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of light rains and thundery development in some areas during the next 24 hours. He has also forecast misty conditions in the morning.

Fresh rains and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, under the influence of a western disturbance, have led to a fall in temperatures in the plains of North-West India, including Delhi, in the last week.

The fall in mercury over the past more than a week came after the post-Diwali weeks saw a rise in the temperature and slightly humid conditions in Delhi, conditions unusual for this time of the year.

UNI AR RL HT1732