Sudden clouds greeted Patna residents early on Friday, as the weather gods continued to puzzle the people with light rain after a series of warm days.

The weathermen attributed the sudden change to the influence of an active western disturbance with fairly widespread rain and snowfall activity over Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The current weather will remain for the next couple of days, as the rain belt has now shifted to Uttar Pradesh, triggering rain and thundershowers in the neighbouring state.

"Heavy spell of rain and snowfall over the hills in north India due to back-to-back western disturbances has led to this sudden weather change," said Patna Met director Sumendu Sengupta. "This weather activity is likely to continue over the region till the next two-three days. After that, the western disturbance will move away."

The weather change is likely to bring down the minimum temperature by 2­3°C over Bihar. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said that for around 48 hours from Saturday shallow to moderate fog is expected in isolated places.

"Under the influence of the active western disturbance, scattered rain activity over Bihar is very likely to occur during next 24 hours," IMD has said.

A cyclonic circulation has led to the current western disturbance. Private forecast agency Skymet Weather said the condition, which was earlier over Rajasthan and Punjab, has now shifted and is over west Uttar Pradesh now, while a trough is extending up to Bihar.

A weatherman said one or two spells of hailstorm over a couple of places in Bihar cannot be ruled out as well.

The welcome change in weather upped the festivity quotient in the city with residents heading to the hangout spots in Patna.

"The weather came as a surprise on Friday after warm days lasted for more than a week," said college student Sumedha who went to Rainbow Field in Kankerbagh with her friends. "We did not want to miss the chance of enjoying the good weather, so my friends and I decided to come here."

Sujeet Kumar, a businessman spotted at Eco Park, said this winter, weather has been puzzling at best. "I had put away all my heavy woollens but now it seems I would have to take them out again."