Western disturbance flips March weather, delays early summer with rain across north

A shift in weather patterns across India has eased concerns of an early summer, as multiple western disturbances bring widespread rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds across northern, central and southern regions.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a fresh western disturbance became active over northwest India around mid-March, triggering rainfall, lightning and strong winds across several states.

The impact is already visible across north India, including Delhi-NCR, where rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds have led to a noticeable drop in temperatures. IMD has issued alerts for continued rainfall and storm activity over the next few days.

The changing conditions have helped offset fears of an early and prolonged summer. Earlier this month, temperatures in several regions had surged well above normal, raising concerns of an extended heatwave. However, current and upcoming weather systems are expected to maintain normal to below-normal temperatures across north India till the end of March.

Meteorologists say at least two more western disturbances are likely to affect the region before the month ends, prolonging the spell of wet and unstable weather.

The effects are not limited to the north. In southern India, cities like Bengaluru have witnessed sudden thundershowers, hailstorms and strong winds, bringing relief from rising temperatures but also causing disruptions. Flight operations were affected and several areas reported waterlogging and traffic congestion.

Across other regions, including parts of Maharashtra, unseasonal rainfall and hailstorms have also been reported, with IMD issuing alerts for thunderstorms and gusty winds.

Weather experts attribute the widespread activity to the interaction of western disturbances with local heat and moisture, leading to convective cloud formation and storm systems. These systems are also being supported by troughs extending across the country, which are enhancing rainfall activity in multiple regions.

Overall, the active weather pattern is expected to keep temperatures moderated across large parts of the country for the remainder of March, delaying the onset of peak summer conditions.