As the new year begins, large parts of India are set for a wet spell, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD)forecasting rain and snow over the western Himalayas and light showers across portions of northwest and peninsular India on 1 January 2026. The IMD has cited an active western disturbance as the reason behind this warning.
Rain and snow over the western Himalayas, showers for the northwest plains
According to the IMD, the western Himalayan region will see a fresh round of precipitation, with rain and snowfall expected over Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and Ladakh on January 1 and extending into January 2 in many pockets. The department has also indicated that the activity is likely to be fairly widespread over these areas, with light to moderate intensity and the possibility of heavier spells at a few places.
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Neighbouring hill states Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are also in line for scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rain or snow between 1 and 2 January 2026, the IMD bulletin stated.
Isolated scattered rainfall in Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, UP, and Chandigarh
The same weather system mentioned above is set to spill some moisture into the plains. The IMD has flagged isolated to scattered light rain over Rajasthan, Punjab, Chandigarh, and Haryana on 1 January and similar light showers over west Delhi and west Uttar Pradesh on the same day. This means parts of northwest India, including the national capital region, could see intermittent drizzle or light rain.
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#WATCH | Light showers of rain bring down pollution levels in Mumbai. Visuals from Lower Parel. pic.twitter.com/RWIeJzFYev
— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2026
The Regional Weather Forecasting Centre (RWFC), New Delhi, issued a forecast early on Thursday that pointed to immediate rain chances over the capital. At 5:00 IST on 1 January, 2026, the RWFC stated that light rain or drizzle along with a light thunderstorm and lightning is very likely at most places in Delhi and NCR. The bulletin also mentioned nearby locations in Haryana, like Kaithal, Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal, Assandh, Safidon and Kharkhoda and parts of Rajasthan, including Khairtha, Alwar, Viratnagar, and Kotpuli, are expected to receive light rain in the next two hours.
Further west, Mumbai has already seen the on-the-ground impact of changing weather conditions. As per the ANI report, short areas like Lower Parel and Walkeshwar received light showers, bringing down pollution levels in the city, with wet roads and reduced haze in the visuals. |
