PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The much awaited rain and snowfall may finally be witnessed in Uttarakhand with weather change being forecast during January 22-24. According to the State Meteorological Centre, current meteorological analysis and numerical weather prediction models indicate that an intense western disturbance is likely to affect Uttarakhand from the night of January 22. There is also an indication of high moisture feeding from Arabian Sea at lower levels over northwest India on January 23 and 24. Under the influence of this system, rain/snowfall/thunderstorms are very likely to occur from the night of January 22 till the afternoon of January 24 with peak activity on January 23 over Uttarakhand.
The centre has forecast that very light to light rain/snowfall is likely to occur at a few places in Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag districts and at isolated places in Dehradun, Chamoli, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts of Uttarakhand on January 22. Light to moderate rain/snowfall is very likely to occur at most places in Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh and at many places in remaining mountainous districts of the State. Further, very light to light rain is likely to occur at a few places in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts on January 23 while light to moderate rain/snowfall is very likely to occur at isolated places in the mountainous regions of the State on January 24. Apart from this, snowfall is likely to occur at places situated at altitudes of 2,800 metres and above on January 22 and at places situated at altitudes of 2,300 metres and above on January 23 and 24.
The meteorological centre has also issued an orange alert regarding the possibility of heavy snowfall likely to occur at isolated places situated at altitudes of 2,800 metres and above in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts and a yellow warning regarding the possibility of thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and gusty wind (with wind speed 30-40 kmph) likely to occur at isolated places in districts of the State on January 23. A yellow warning has also been issued regarding the possibility of thunderstorms accompanied with lightning likely to occur at isolated places in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts on January 24.
