Weather update: Western Disturbance to hit North India from April 7 with hail, strong winds

Unsettled weather is set to dominate large parts of India over the coming days, with forecasts pointing to thunderstorms, rain and hail as a fresh system strengthens across the region.

The shift in weather is being driven by a Western Disturbance, a moisture-laden system that moves in from the Mediterranean and often brings rain, thunderstorms and hail to North India during the winter-spring transition.

Delhi-NCR weather 

The effects are already visible. After a strong spell on April 3 and 4, conditions have remained unstable, especially over Delhi and nearby areas. Instead of the usual rising heat for this time of year, the region has seen cooler temperatures, thick cloud cover and occasional thunder.

Within Delhi-NCR, weather activity is expected to stay uneven. Gurgaon, South Delhi, Faridabad and Noida are among the areas most likely to see rain or thunderstorms tonight. However, the pattern will remain scattered, with nearly half of the region likely to stay dry even as some pockets receive brief but intense bursts of rain or hail.

A similar situation played out on April 4, when thunderstorm cells formed west of Gurgaon and moved across parts of NCR, bringing short spells of heavy rain and hail. Forecasters expect a similar pattern to persist in the near term.

But a more significant change is approaching. A stronger Western Disturbance is expected to move in between April 7 and 10, likely triggering widespread rain, strong winds and large hail across a broad stretch of the country.

States to be affected

The system is projected to impact Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Punjab, western Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, northern Madhya Pradesh and parts of the northeast. Overall, around 30 to 40 per cent of India could experience weather activity during this period.

Authorities have issued advisories, particularly for farmers. With wheat crops ready for harvest in several of these states, there is an urgent push to complete harvesting before April 6 to minimise potential losses.

The warning follows heavy damage from the earlier system. On April 3 and 4, large hailstones flattened wheat fields across Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, causing significant crop losses.

Another round of similar or potentially more intense weather is now expected.

Conditions are likely to stabilise after April 8 to 10. As the system weakens, the second half of April is expected to turn dry, with a sharp rise in temperatures and a return of intense heat.