New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted continuing unsteady weather over both cities and many districts in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday night, as rain and thunderstorms battered sections of Amritsar and Shimla in Punjab.

There were gusty gusts at Mohali, Punjab. According to the IMD, Amritsar is predicted to see a partly overcast sky with sporadic rain or thundershowers, while Shimla is also anticipated to experience cloudy skies.

The IMD in Himachal Pradesh warned of moderate to heavy rainfall, thunderstorm activity, lightning, gusty winds of 45 to 55 kmph, and potential hailstorms in the areas between Dalhousie and Tikri Khas in the Chamba district. Within an hour, this system is anticipated to approach the Kangra area before progressively deteriorating.

Over the course of the next hour, thunderstorms with lightning and moderate rainfall are expected to persist across portions of the districts of Una, Hamirpur, Mandi, and Kangra. Bilaspur and Kullu districts are also anticipated to see similar weather conditions in the near future.

Due to an upcoming severe Western Disturbance, the IMD had previously forecast rainfall in some areas of Himachal Pradesh between April 18 and April 21. A powerful western disturbance is predicted to affect the state, bringing mild to moderate rainfall to most areas and heavy rainfall to higher elevations, according to the IMD.

Shobhit Katiyar, Senior Scientist at the IMD’s Himachal Pradesh Centre in Shimla, told the media that the weather would change in two days due to a new Western disturbance that is expected to occur on April 18.

“Over the following 48 hours, the state’s weather will generally be clear. However, from the afternoon of April 18 until the morning of April 21, Himachal Pradesh is predicted to be impacted by a highly active western disturbance. We anticipate sporadic rainfall in several areas of the state as a result of this system,” Katiyar said.

He went on to say that although there may be some light rain in the districts of Chamba and Kangra today, the major rainfall period will start on April 18.

“On April 18 and 19, there is a chance of significant rainfall in the upper areas of the districts of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, and Mandi. Rainfall might range from 6 to 12 cm in certain places. We’ve issued an orange warning for these regions for April 18 and 19 as a result,” Katiyar said.