Residents across North India, including Delhi and its neighbouring states, are bracing for widespread rainfall until Monday (February 5) due to a fresh western disturbance affecting the region from Saturday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts widespread rainfall across Delhi, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Punjab on February 3 and 4, and in Uttar Pradesh on February 4 and 5, with potential hailstorms in several of these areas over the weekend.
With dense fog enveloping the national capital on Friday, visibility dropped to zero at the airport, severely impacting flight schedules and contributing to delays in train services. Safdarjung, Delhi’s official weather observatory, recorded a low of 7 degrees Celsius, while the high was a relatively warmer 18.5 degrees Celsius, making the day feel quite pleasant despite poor visibility.
As for the mountainous regions, Himachal Pradesh received significant snowfall, particularly in Shimla, which disrupted traffic and led to 720 roads being blocked, including four national highways. The snowfall also affected electrical infrastructure with 2,243 transformers disrupted. As temperatures plunged to sub-zero levels, high-altitude tribal areas experienced severe cold, while in Kashmir, popular tourist destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam recorded temperatures well below freezing. IMD has also forecast widespread rain and snow for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand until February 5.
On the previous day, isolated areas of Delhi and East Uttar Pradesh were also engulfed in fog, while Haryana, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand experienced more severe conditions. The visibility issues had tangible effects on locals, with residents near the New Delhi Railway Station seeking warmth from fires to fend off the cold. Amid these weather phenomena, Delhi had already faced light to moderate rain with thunderstorms, continuing a pattern of unexpected rainfall. The IMD emphasizes that this pattern is likely to continue, impacting surrounding areas, including parts of NCR like Noida and Gurugram, as well as regions further afield.