Western Disturbances

• Under the continued influence of a western disturbance, various parts of the country received unprecedented rainfall and hailstorms few days back.

Western Disturbance

• A Western Disturbance is an extratropical storm originating in the Mediterranean region that brings sudden winter rain to the northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent.
• It is a non-monsoonal precipitation pattern driven by the westerlies.
• The moisture in these storms usually originates over the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
• Extratropical storms are a global phenomena with moisture usually carried in the upper atmosphere, unlike their tropical counterparts where the moisture is carried in the lower atmosphere.
• They are important for the development of the Rabi crop, which includes the locally important staple wheat.

Importance of Western Disturbances

• The western disturbances affect weather conditions during the winter season up to Patna (Bihar) and give occasional rainfall which is highly beneficial for the standing rabi crops.
• The arrival of these causes precipitation leading to an abrupt decrease in air temperature over North-West India.
• Western Disturbances also bring heavy snowfall in the Himalayan Region and a cold wave to north Indian plains.