People make their way to work amid rainfall, in New Delhi, Friday, March 20, 2026. The weather office has issued a yellow alert for the city. Photo: PTI
Why is India seeing snowfall, hailstorms and rain in March?
An unusual Western Disturbance triggers hailstorms from Afghanistan to India; forecasters warn of a "critical" 8-hour window for north states before system moves to East India
An intense Western Disturbance is bringing rare March hailstorms and heavy rain across India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, with the next eight hours labelled "critical" for northern states.
This phenomenon has formed a perfectly linear, 1,000-kilometer rain band stretching from Afghanistan through Pakistan and deep into the Indian heartland.
According to the weather department, instead of the expected onset of summer heat, a powerful and uniquely-shaped Western Disturbance (WD) is sweeping across the region. Parts of South Asia, in fact, are currently witnessing a dramatic departure from typical March weather.
Satellite imagery reveals an active system driven by a pronounced trough line, triggering widespread instability. While typical Western Disturbances are extratropical cyclones that originate from Mediterranean lows and curve northeast, bringing winter snowfall and cold waves, this system presents as a straight-line trough. A trough line is a concentrated, narrow corridor of low atmospheric pressure, within which air is forced upward, leading to rapid cloud formation, significant rainfall, and turbulent weather.
Why this is unusual?
Instead of the classic cyclonic curve, this disturbance is a massive, linear low-pressure zone.
Also read: North India cooldown: Snowfall, rain bring relief from early heatwave
Moreover, the system is peaking during the traditional onset of summer rather than mid-winter. This "straight-line" formation underscores a growing trend of increasingly erratic and volatile weather patterns across South Asia.
India experiences four to six intense WDs per month between December and February, totalling roughly 16 to 24 systems annually. By late March, this activity typically tapers off as the jet stream weakens and shifts northward, making large-scale systems a rarity—statistically occurring only once or twice a year during this period.
However, recent meteorological trends indicate a shift in this seasonal cycle. The WD season appears to be lengthening, with an increasing frequency of these storms persisting into April. Experts link this change to more persistent subtropical jets that delay their northward retreat, alongside broader climate variability that is making these late-season weather events more common.
Regional impact: North India
This system has triggered intermittent yet intense bursts of precipitation across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Western Uttar Pradesh.
These rain spells have been accompanied by frequent thunderstorms and high-velocity gusty winds, disrupting the typical onset of seasonal heat. It has already triggered heavy to very heavy rain in the sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, heavy showers in south Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, and hailstorms in multiple states.
Forecast and relief
Meteorological data suggests the following timeline for the next 12 hours:
- Late afternoon: The trough is expected to track eastward, moving away from the northwestern plains.
- Evening: A noticeable improvement in conditions is forecast for North India as the system loses its intensity.
- Tonight: Rainfall will subside significantly, offering partial relief after a day of highly unsettled weather.
While the skies over Delhi and Punjab are expected to clear by this evening, the relief will be short-lived for the rest of the country. The high-intensity weather system is currently tracking eastward, where it is set to trigger heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Two more WDs
Forecasters are already monitoring two additional WDs expected to impact the region on March 23, when a new trough is expected to re-introduce instability and again on March 28, a subsequent system may follow, though its exact intensity is still being modelled.
Also read: India braces for hotter days, erratic monsoon as 'super El Nino' develops
Climatologically, India sees four to six intense western disturbances per month between December to February (16-24 total per year). Activity tapers sharply by late March as the jet stream weakens and shifts northward, making large systems rare (1-2 per year historically).
Recent trends, however, show lengthening seasons and increasing frequency into April, linked to stronger subtropical jets delaying retreat and broader climate variability.