Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey
Rain could well play spoilsport in this year's Holi.
On Thursday, a cloud cover enveloped the city for most part of the day. The Met department in its forecast on Thursday warned of thunder squalls with rain at some places in Bihar in the next two days. The department has also predicted a cloudy sky with possibility of rain or thunderstorm or dust storm in Patna on March 12 to 15.
The changes in weather conditions are mainly on account of fresh western disturbances over Jammu and Kashmir leading to the formation of induced cyclonic circulation over northwest Rajasthan and adjoining areas along with low pressure developing from north Rajasthan to Bengal, covering Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The disturbance resulted in thunderstorm/squall accompanied by hail was observed at Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Gangetic Bengal, Odisha, east Uttar Pradesh and northeastern states on Thursday.
Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey
The India meteorological department (IMD) in its weather bulletin on Thursday stated: "Under the influence of the above systems, widespread rain/ snowfall/thundershowers is very likely to occur over western Himalayan region and adjoining northern plains during the next three days."
Patna Met director Sumendu Sengupta said: "At present, an active western disturbance is persisting over Jammu and Kashmir and an induced cyclonic circulation is over northeast Rajasthan and adjoining Haryana. Again, a trough from this system is extending up to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Bengal. Due to such weather conditions, clouds are expected to develop while maximum temperatures may reduce significantly during rain activities. This upcoming spell of rain will pave way for pleasant conditions in the coming days."
The system will intensify further around March 10, Sengupta said, adding: "The intensity of rain may increase on March 10 and so light to moderate shower with one or two intense spell for short duration at one or two places can be expected across the state. We also expect commencement of thunder squall and thundershower activities all along the trough particular to Bihar, Jharkhand, parts of Bengal as these areas are more susceptible to thunder activities."
Private weather agency Skymet has also forecast rain and thundershower in Bihar for the next two-three days.
The cold and chilly winter has finally bid farewell, while even the short-lived spring season is almost over. Now, the pre-monsoon season has started, which means the sunny and hot summer season is here. But along with the hot weather, the season brings in spells of thunder squalls and thundershower activities.
During the pre-monsoon period, instability of atmosphere and uneven heating of land sometime leads to formation of convective clouds over specific regions, which has currently happened, the weather agency stated and added: "These clouds are capable of violent thundershower thundersquall activities. There is a strong probability of frequent thunder and lightning over most parts of Bihar, particularly northern and eastern districts from the evening of March 10 to the forenoon of March 12. Around this time, strong winds with at speeds of 50-70kmph are expected to blow over the region with heavy thunder squall and lightning to be a common feature over the region."
