(Image source from: Indianexpress.com)

Delhi and nearby areas experienced rain and wind on Monday, shortly after the India Meteorological Department issued a warning about light rain. The weather service has also raised its alert from yellow to orange, which means moderate rain, lightning, and strong winds are possible. The weather forecast predicts that the orange alert will continue until 6 pm. Additionally, there may be light rain in scattered areas on Tuesday. Earlier, the IMD had alerted about light rain and strong winds in several places. "A dust storm followed by a thunderstorm with light rain and lightning, accompanied by winds of 60 to 80 km/h, is highly likely to happen in Farukhnagar, Kosali, Mahendargarh, Sohna, Rewari, Palwal, Narnaul, Bawal, and Nuh in Haryana, as well as in Bhiwadi and Khairthal in Rajasthan," the IMD reported.

The weather service indicated that light rain and winds of 30 to 40 km/h are expected soon in Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Narwana, Karnal, Fatehabad, Rajaund, Assandh, Safidon, Barwala, Jind, Panipat, Adampur, Hisar, Gohana, Ganaur, Hansi, Siwani, Meham, Sonipat, Tosham, Rohtak, Kharkhoda, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Matanhail, Jhajjar, Loharu, Farukhnagar, and Kosali in Haryana; Shamli, Kandhla, Baraut, Baghpat, and Khekra in Uttar Pradesh; and Bhadra, Sidhmukh, Sadulpur, Pilani, Jhunjhunu, Tijara, Khairthal, Kotputli, Alwar, Viratnagar, Nagar, Deeg, Laxmangarh, and Rajgarh in Rajasthan over the next couple of hours. Temperatures in Delhi are expected to reach between 32°C and 34°C, with lows around 20.4°C. The IMD has also put a yellow alert for parts of Uttar Pradesh, such as Meerut, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, and Bijnor.

In Haryana, a combination of yellow and orange alerts is in effect today. Yellow alerts are issued for Sirsa, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, Gurugram, and Faridabad, while orange alerts are for Hisar, Jind, Rohtak, Ambala, and several other districts. According to the IMD, the current weather in northern India is affected by a western disturbance from north Iran and the Caspian Sea area, along with active cyclonic movements over north-west Rajasthan. Another western disturbance is expected to arrive on April 2, potentially bringing very light rain to Delhi on April 3 and 4. The IMD has forecasted light to moderate rain or snow, along with occasional thunderstorms, lightning, and winds of 30 to 50 km/h in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on March 30 and April 2 to 3.

Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are anticipated to have moderate rain or snow, with isolated thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds on March 30 and April 3 to 4. Similar weather patterns may continue in Uttarakhand on March 31. Scattered light to moderate rain, along with thunderstorms, lightning, and winds of 30 to 50 km/h, are expected over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan until March 31. The IMD also mentioned that the Kashmir Valley might experience isolated heavy rain or snow on March 30. Isolated hailstorms are also predicted for Punjab, east Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand on the same date.