The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a fresh weather alert for large parts of North and Northwest India, warning that two successive Western disturbances are set to affect the region over the next few days. According to the IMD, the first spell will peak on April 3 and 4, while a second disturbance is expected to become active around April 7. The department has warned of hailstorms, thunderstorms, gusty winds and widespread rain, with isolated heavy rainfall likely over the Kashmir Valley on April 3 and 4.
In its latest press release issued at 2 pm on April 3, 2026, the IMD said these back-to-back systems are likely to bring a significant shift in weather across the northwestern belt. The warning is particularly important because the impact will not be limited to the hills. Plains, including Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh, are also expected to see unstable weather conditions during the active phase of the first disturbance.
Which states are likely to be affected?
As per the IMD’s latest warning, isolated hailstorm activity is likely over Jammu and Kashmir on April 3, 4, 7 and 8. Similar hailstorm conditions have been forecast for Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, and East Rajasthan on April 3 and 4. Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh may also see isolated hailstorms on April 4, while West Rajasthan is under a hail warning for April 3.
The department has also flagged isolated heavy rainfall over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad on April 3 and 4, with the Kashmir Valley likely to receive the most intense spell during this period. In the hills, this kind of weather often disrupts traffic, increases the risk of landslides in vulnerable stretches and causes localised trouble for residents and tourists alike.
Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana on watch
For Delhi-NCR and adjoining plains, the IMD has not predicted a washout-like situation, but it has clearly indicated thunderstorm activity, lightning and gusty winds, along with the possibility of isolated hail in some areas on April 3 and 4. That means people in the capital region and neighbouring states should be prepared for sudden weather changes, including short bursts of rain, strong winds and localised storm activity.
The IMD’s daily weather bulletin on April 3 said the current Western Disturbance was located as a cyclonic circulation over central Pakistan and neighbourhood, while another system is expected to influence Northwest India from April 7 onward. In simple terms, the atmosphere is already active, and another weather-maker is lined up right behind it.
A wider weather system, not just a hill-state event
Although the headline focus is on North India, the IMD has also indicated weather activity in parts of Central, East and West India over the coming days. West and East Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathwada and adjoining Gujarat region are among the areas where thunderstorms, gusty winds or isolated hailstorm activity have been forecast on different dates between April 3 and April 7.
That broader spread matters because it shows this is not a narrow, local weather event. It is part of a larger active pattern affecting several regions at once. For agriculture-heavy areas, especially those with standing crops, fruit orchards and exposed produce, hail and strong winds can become a serious concern even when rainfall totals are not exceptionally high. The IMD itself has warned that such conditions may lead to damage to standing crops, horticulture, plantations, banana and papaya trees, and power and communication lines, besides posing a risk to people and cattle in open places.
Temperatures likely to dip
The IMD has also said that day temperatures are likely to remain near normal to below normal over most parts of the country during the week. Over Northwest India, maximum temperatures are expected to fall by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius till April 4, rise briefly on April 5 and 6, and then dip again by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius between April 7 and 9as the second Western Disturbance arrives.
This means many places that were beginning to feel the early summer build-up may instead see cooler days, cloudy skies and spells of wet weather. For residents, that may bring temporary relief from heat. But for farmers, commuters and people in vulnerable structures, the bigger issue will be the uncertainty that comes with stormy weather.
Why this warning matters
Western Disturbances are among the most important weather systems for North India, especially in winter and the transition to summer. IMD-linked scientific literature describes them as critical mid-latitude weather systems that influence precipitation across northern India. When such systems arrive in quick succession, they can intensify rainfall, thunderstorm and hail activity over the western Himalayan region and adjoining plains.
This is why the latest IMD warning should not be seen as just another routine forecast update. Two active systems arriving close together raise the chances of repeated spells of disruption rather than a one-day weather event. In the hills, that can mean difficult travel conditions. In the plains, it can mean sudden squalls, crop damage and local power disruptions.
Advisory for residents
The IMD has advised people to stay updated with local forecasts and follow official advisories. In areas under heavy rain or hail risk, the department’s impact note warns of traffic congestion, localised waterlogging, damage to vulnerable structures and hazards from falling branches and strong winds. People have been advised to avoid staying in unsafe structures and to check travel conditions before leaving for their destination.
For now, the forecast is clear: April 3-4 will be the first peak window, and April 7 is likely to bring the second spell. For North India, the coming days are set to remain weather-sensitive.