Assessment of wet spell over Northwest India during the first week of March 2024

Abstract

Winter precipitation in the Western Himalayan Region (WHR) and the plains of Northwest India (NWI) is a notable weather phenomenon that occurs between December and early March. The winter months bring critical precipitation to the WHR and NWI, impacting agriculture and water resources. This paper investigates a significant wet spell during the first week of March, characterized by heavy rainfall, intense thunderstorms, and hailstorms across both regions. The wet spell during 1^st-3^rdMarch, 2024 was primarily influenced by a Western Disturbance (WD), which led to the formation of induced cyclonic circulation and induced low-pressure systems. These atmospheric conditions created a conducive environment for the occurrence of heavy precipitation. Additionally, a steady supply of moisture from the Arabian Sea significantly contributed to the event. This influx of moisture enhanced rainfall intensity and facilitated the development of severe thunderstorms and hail.

This investigation highlights the intricate relationship between Western Disturbances and moisture supply in generating winter precipitation events in the WHR and NWI. Understanding these interactions of weather systems mainly WD is vital for improving weather forecasting and managing the effects of extreme weather in the region. During this episode some of the stations like Karta, Jammu, Nahan and Manali received record breaking rainfall and placed in top 5 categories in climatological records. The heavy rainfall data revealed that on 3^rdMarch, the subdivisions of Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand recorded the highest rainfall, with some stations receiving 12 cm, followed by Haryana at 10cm. Station-wise data indicates that on 2^ndMarch, the highest number of stations in the Himachal Pradesh subdivision reported heavy rainfall, followed by Jammu & Kashmir. On 3^rd March, however, stations experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall in Jammu & Kashmir, followed by Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttarakhand. Future research should explore the long-term implications of these weather patterns in the context of climate change.