By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 13 Apr: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated that a fresh western disturbance is likely to become active, which may once again bring rain to Uttarakhand from 16 April onwards. The State Weather Centre of IMD in Dehradun today issued a forecast valid up to Saturday. According to the forecast, weather will remain dry across Uttarakhand from today through Wednesday, 15 April, with no rainfall expected either in the hill districts or the plains. However, on Thursday, very light rain accompanied by thunder may occur at isolated places in five hill districts. During this period, snowfall is also likely at places located at an altitude of 3,800 metres and above. The remaining hill districts and the plains are likely to remain dry on Thursday. Similar weather conditions are expected to continue on Friday, 17 April, and Saturday, 18 April. The weather office has also predicted that maximum temperatures in the plains of Uttarakhand are likely to rise by two to four Deg C over the next four to five days.
IMD also stated that conditions remained generally normal in the lower reaches of Pithoragarh over the past 24 hours. Clear skies through the morning brought some relief from the cold, but chilly winds returned by evening. Snowfall was also reported on high-altitude peaks above 6,000 metres in the higher reaches of Munsiyari during the afternoon, with its impact felt in the lower valleys.
Meanwhile, weather conditions in Dharchula deteriorated yesterday afternoon, leading to fresh snowfall on the higher peaks. This has kept the chill intact across the Pithoragarh region. According to the meteorological centre, the state is expected to experience dry weather on Monday, with similar conditions likely to prevail on 14 and 15 April. The absence of rain is expected to lead to a gradual rise in temperatures during this period. However, from 16 April onwards, the weather pattern may change again, potentially bringing a fresh spell of cold.
According to the weather department, districts likely to receive rainfall include Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Nainital, Chamoli, Champawat, Almora, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh. The rainfall is likely to cause a drop in temperatures by two to three Deg C.
Meanwhile the temperatures in the state’s major cities have also begun to rise. The maximum temperature in Dehradun today stood at 28 Deg C, with a minimum of 14 Deg C last night. Haridwar has recorded a maximum of 32 Deg C and a minimum of 17 Deg C, while Rudrapur has recorded a maximum of 33 Deg C and a minimum of 18 Deg C. In Haldwani, the maximum temperature stands at 30 Deg C and the minimum at 18 Deg C.
It may be pertinent to remind here that the Char Dham Yatra is scheduled to begin from 19 April, but surprisingly, the temperatures in all the Char Dham shrines remain below freezing even in April. At Gangotri Temple, the maximum temperature is currently Minus 5 Deg C and the minimum Minus 15 Deg C. At Yamunotri Temple, the maximum temperature stands at Minus 1 Deg C and the minimum at Minus 8 Deg C. Severe cold conditions prevail at Kedarnath Temple, where the maximum temperature is Minus 4 Deg C and the minimum Minus 12 Deg C. Badrinath Temple has recorded a maximum temperature of 0 Deg C and a minimum of Minus 9 Deg C. Prevailing cold conditions are not only hampering the final preparations for the Char Dham Yatra but also can cause lot of inconvenience to the pilgrims arriving at Char Dham sites.
