The hill states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will also see snowfall and rain between Sunday and Wednesday, and have been issued 'orange' and 'yellow; warnings respectively.
With a strong western disturbance approaching India's upper reaches, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Jammu and Kashmir. The state will receive snowfall and rain over the next three days under the influence of this weather system, the Met department said.
The hill states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will also see snowfall and rain between Sunday and Wednesday, and have been issued 'orange' and 'yellow; warnings respectively.
The winds prevailing over northwest India coupled with the western disturbance would also result in rainfall, thunderstorms and even hailstorms in North India including Delhi-NCR, the IMD said.
Northern hill states have been witnessing snowfall over the past week that has sent temperatures plummeting. Delhi, too, experienced dry cold weather over the week.
On Saturday, the maximum temperature in Delhi was 25.9 degrees Celsius — six degrees above normal — while the minimum temperature was 5.7 degrees Celsius, which is one degree below normal.
A western disturbance is a weather system that brings icy cold winds from the Mediterranean towards the Himalayas. "A western disturbance as an upper air cyclonic circulation lies over Iran and adjoining Afghanistan with a trough," said the IMD.
"Under its influence, an induced cyclonic circulation has formed over West Rajasthan and adjoining Central Pakistan and it would move over Punjab and Haryana during 20-22," the IMD said.
It added that there was high moisture as well from the Arabian Sea over northwest parts of the country. Due to these conditions, there is likely to be widespread rainfall over Punjab, Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh.
Private weather forecaster Skymet said that there will be a change in wind pattern in Delhi-NCR after Sunday. "Winds will be southerly/southeasterly. Morning temperatures will increase and day will also be slightly warm. Clouding will gradually increase...a spell of thunderstorm may occur by night. Mainly light to moderate rain and thundershower activity will follow and will intensify by January 31," it said.
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