IMD flags rain and snowfall in western Himalayas, with thunderstorms, fog and cold-wave pockets in the plains
A fresh western disturbance is set to trigger widespread rain and snow in the western Himalayan belt on 27 January, while parts of north and northwest India brace for thunderstorms, gusty winds, dense fog and isolated cold-wave conditions. The forecast also points to hailstorm risk in a few areas and another disturbance lining up around 30 January, keeping end-of-month weather unsettled.
- Reporting desk
- Health India Network News Desk
- First published
What the IMD expects on 27 January
India’s winter pattern is turning active again as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts fairly widespread to widespread rainfall and snowfall over Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on 27 January, along with the threat of thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds. The same system is expected to keep Uttarakhand unsettled on 28 January as well.
Down in the plains, the disturbance is likely to bring scattered to fairly widespread light-to-moderate rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds to Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on 27 January. IMD also flags similar stormy conditions for parts of West Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on 27 January, with East Uttar Pradesh seeing rain/thunderstorm activity on both 27 and 28 January.
Hailstorm, fog and cold-wave watch
The bulletin warns of isolated hailstorms over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on 27 January—events that can quickly damage standing crops, orchards and temporary structures. Separately, dense fog is expected in isolated pockets over Uttarakhand till 27 January, and over Uttar Pradesh on 27, 29 and 30 January, which may impact road, rail and flight operations where visibility drops sharply.
IMD also indicates cold-wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets over Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Punjab, with cold-day conditions possible in parts of Himachal Pradesh. While minimum temperatures were forecast to rise gradually up to 27 January in many areas, a 3–5°C fall is indicated for 28–29 January before another warming trend later in the week.
Why this matters now
For commuters and local administrations, the combination of thunderstorms, gusty winds, fog and cold-wave pockets can create rapid, mixed disruptions—especially during morning travel hours. Farmers in hail-prone belts and residents in fog corridors are advised to track IMD updates closely as the disturbance evolves through the week.
IMD’s outlook also points to another western disturbance approaching northwest India from the night of 30 January, suggesting that fresh precipitation and cloudiness may return towards month-end and into early February.