IMD predicts snowfall in Himalayas, rain in plains; wheat crop may suffer

By Jitendra Choubey

Two western disturbances are likely to cause snowfall in higher reaches of the Himalayas and rainfall with thunderstorms and gusty winds in the plains this week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin on Sunday.

Experts are worried about lodging of wheat crop, which will be ready for harvest in a few weeks.

Under the influence of the current western disturbance, there would be light to moderate rainfall and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during March 10-12. Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, western UP and north Rajasthan would get rainfall with gusty wind on March 13.

Another moderate western disturbance on March 13 would cause rainfall with gusty winds and snowfall in northwestern India. Thunderstorms and lightning are likely over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan and Muzaffarabad on March 13, and over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on March 13-14, IMD said.

“If there would be lodging of crops due to gusty winds, the wheat crops will get impacted in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan,” said Bhudeva Singh Tyagi, principal scientist, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research. “Hailstorm and unseasonal rain would mostly impact mustard and gram crops and wheat crops in dry region.”

Rajasthan-based traders are worried that unseasonal rainfall would impact the quality of wheat crops. “Last week hailstorms and rainfall already delayed the harvesting of crops. If rain happens, it may impact the quality of wheat,” said CP Gupta of Chesta Enterprise in Rajasthan.

Western disturbance

Under the influence of the current western disturbance, there would be light to moderate rainfall and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from March 10-12.

This article has been republished from The New Indian Express.