Winter has started making its presence felt across North India. Delhi-NCR and several northern states in the country experienced overcast skies and a drop in mercury on Friday as the Indian Meteorological Department issued rain and thunderstorm alerts for several regions. Influenced by Cyclone Montha and an effective western disturbance, widespread weather fluctuations have started to take place in the form of rainfall, cold winds, and fog-like conditions.
The IMD has said that Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad will see partly clouded skies for the next two to three days. Though day temperatures are still around 29–31 degrees Celsius, night temperatures have dipped to 15–17 degrees Celsius, bringing in a chill. The weather experts are of the opinion that wind speeds would increase very soon, making the cold more intense. Though the cloud is prominent, it is still some weeks before dense fog and extreme cold will set in.
Cold conditions have further intensified over Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. Rain alerts have also been issued for several districts of UP, including Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Mau, due to the aftermath of Cyclone Montha. The cyclone, which originated in the Bay of Bengal, has weakened after landfall but is still affecting central Chhattisgarh and its surrounding areas. Similar conditions are observed in Bihar, with cloud cover, strong winds, and rainfall warnings issued.
The weather department, meanwhile, said a fresh depression over the east-central Arabian Sea is slowly moving northwards and heading towards western India. Light to moderate rainfall has been forecast over Gujarat, including Saurashtra and Kutch, with a possibility of heavy showers in isolated pockets accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds from November 1. Rain will continue, at least till November 2, over the state due to the interaction of moisture-laden winds with the low-pressure system.
Northeast India can also expect rain activity. Light to moderate rain and thundershowers are forecast over Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. The IMD said that moisture from the Bay of Bengal, coupled with the active weather system, could bring isolated heavy rainfall in early November.
Winter in Delhi, despite the increasing chill factor, is yet to reach its peak. According to GP Sharma, President-Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet, October was a month of continuous cyclonic activity that made it pretty volatile. He added that only after November 7 and 8, significant winter conditions and daytime cold are expected. It can be said here that the severe cold waves and dense fog along with winter-like chill may arrive in December.
A trend of Delhi-NCR residents switching to light winter wear during early morning and evening hours is already being witnessed. The temperature drop would be more pronounced as the western disturbance draws closer, while cooler winds make the weather pleasant during the day and cold at night.
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
