After days of gloomy, freezing weather, Delhiites finally saw sunlight on Sunday as daytime temperatures rose to 18.8°C - the warmest since December 31. According to the weather experts, an approaching western disturbance helped dissipate the dense fog envelope that plunged the national capital into bitter cold since early January.IMD report on Western disturbance in IndiaThe India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast the western disturbance will provide relief from the chill in northwestern India during the first half of next week. It issued an orange alert separately for heavy fog and cold conditions in parts of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.IMD officials explained the upper-level fog cleared out on Sunday, enabling sunshine to permeate after long. Such fog usually blocks sunlight, resulting in cold day conditions that Delhi was spared from. The cold is expected to abate across the northwestern plains.Western disturbance to bring rainHowever, the western disturbance may bring rainfall and thunderstorms to regions like Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on Monday and Tuesday. Drizzle is also likely in Delhi on Tuesday along with maximum temperatures remaining below 20°C through the week.Experts said the rains could lead to a return of chill later in the week, as is typical. A cyclonic circulation is causing the western disturbance, which may produce some light Tuesday showers in Delhi. But cold day conditions could resume thereafter, said Skymet VP Mahesh Palawat.The sunny conditions are a change from consecutive cold days and severe cold days, which experts warned are risky for the elderly. Schools in Delhi-NCR extended winter breaks for younger students and delayed timings for older classes.Originating from the Mediterranean Sea, a western disturbance is a storm system that moves eastwards, stopping at the Himalayas. It alters wind patterns and brings rainfall to the northern plains while triggering snowfall in the mountains. Once it retreats, northerly icy winds resume, causing temperatures to dip again.Any fog prediction in North IndiaAfter light Tuesday rains, Delhi may witness shallow fog on Wednesday and clear skies later in the week, as per IMD. But with nighttime cloud cover dissipating, minimums are expected to plunge to single digits again. After the western disturbances passing, cold waves could return to parts of northwest India.On Sunday, very dense fog was observed in regions of Punjab, Haryana, west UP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. IMD has warned dense fog will continue in Punjab and Haryana during early mornings till January 9. The western disturbances interaction with easterly winds will also impact the Western Himalayan states.
