Date:12/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/04/12/stories/2006041202901400.htm

Back Heat wave abating in North

Vinson Kurian

Thiruvananthapuram , April 11

The prevailing western disturbance over Northwest India has started moving eastward with the band of rain clouds in tow, breathing cooler air into the plains left barren by the oppressive heat of the past few days.

The dry but cool winds from higher latitudes has brought respite from high day temperatures to much of the North and Northwest India where temperatures have fallen by 2-4 degree C.

Heat wave conditions have since abated from Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and East Uttar Pradesh, according to the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF). Subsequently, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to the further east should be able to get a breather in this manner.

Moisture incursion

Incursion of moisture from the Bay of Bengal continues unabated, which has helped sustain the scattered to fairly widespread rains and thundershowers over the Northeastern States. Predictions suggest that the rainfall activity over the region may get a further boost during the next couple of days.

But, according to Dr Akhilesh Gupta of the NCMRWF, the sixth India-England one-day cricket international scheduled to be held in Jamshedpur on Wednesday should manage to get a game on. The previous game in Guwahati was abandoned only a couple of days ago after rains buffeted the venue.

Back in the Northwest, the eastward-moving western disturbance is expected to leave the region free of any major significant weather activity over the next two to three days.

But there is a possibility of a fresh western disturbance moving in to affect the Northwest from Friday. NCMRWF forecasts also suggest an increase in rain/thundershower activity over the southern and eastern parts of peninsular India from the same day.

In region-wise forecast for the next three to four days, the NCMRWF said scattered to fairly widespread rain/thundershowers accompanied by isolated hail/squalls are likely over the Northeastern States, West Bengal and Sikkim. Isolated to scattered rains are likely in Bihar, Coastal Orissa and Jharkhand regions as well.

Chhattisgarh is likely to experience isolated thunderstorm activity during the next three days. In the south, isolated rainfall is expected over the Bay Islands, Coastal Tamil Nadu, Interior Karnataka and Kerala over the next two days. Rainfall activity may gain in intensity over the region from Friday.