If the snapshots of a frozen Niagara have chilled you to the bones and the gradual dip in mercury at home keeps you shivering, here is the best remedy to beat the last leg of the icy cold <keyword id="46788" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Winter">winter</keyword>. Celebrate <keyword id="6494293" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lohri">Lohri</keyword> this year with <keyword id="28762" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="fire">fire</keyword> and flamboyance – with the beating of dhol, <keyword id="6920" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhangra">bhangra</keyword> &amp; <keyword id="465865" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="giddha">giddha</keyword> dancing, blazing bonfires and mithas of traditional sweets. Lohri is a popular <keyword id="404010" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="harvest-festival">harvest festival</keyword>, celebrated all over <keyword id="55424" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Northern-India">Northern India</keyword> in the middle of January, and Monday the 13th is the stipulated date this year. 
 Essentially a <keyword id="2012366" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rural-festival">rural festival</keyword> held in <keyword id="6354953" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Punjab">Punjab</keyword>, <keyword id="41646" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Haryana">Haryana</keyword>, <keyword id="66" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword> and some parts of <keyword id="6358126" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Himachal-Pradesh">Himachal Pradesh</keyword> and <keyword id="6357972" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jammu">Jammu</keyword>, this one celebrates the bountiful harvests as the ravi crops (winter crops including wheat, barley, mustard, <keyword id="56382" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sesame">sesame</keyword> and peas) are gathered while people unite in thanksgiving and pray for prosperity. Held on the last day of the month Paush, Lohri also marks the Sun’s entry into the northern hemisphere, popularly known as <keyword id="90750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uttarayan">Uttarayan</keyword>. This signifies the end of the cold, dark winter days and bonfires are lit to worship the Sun – the eternal spark of life. Lohri melas (festivals) are also held every year to celebrate the occasion. 
 A week before the festival, children start gathering <keyword id="1066921" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="firewood">firewood</keyword> and go from door to door, singing old folk songs and collecting their <keyword id="2012376" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lohri-loot">Lohri loot</keyword> – a wide variety of scrumptious sweets like <keyword id="2012377" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rewri">rewri</keyword>, <keyword id="529387" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gajak">gajak</keyword>, <keyword id="137842" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="jaggery">jaggery</keyword>, <keyword id="116024" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Peanut">peanut</keyword> chikki and <keyword id="6427332" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="TIL">til</keyword> (sesame) barfi. On the D-day, after sundown, people rush to the <keyword id="2012365" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bonfire-celebration">bonfire celebration</keyword>, followed by a gala evening filled with songs, dances and feasting. The festival also holds great significance for the newlyweds and the newborns whose first Lohri is celebrated with pomp and splendour. 
 This year, too, the Lohri bashes are all set to fire up the festivities in spite of the <keyword id="517425" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="biting-cold">biting cold</keyword> of the past few days. It has been partly cloudy in the national capital of Delhi, along with early <keyword id="49908" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="MORNING-FOG">morning fog</keyword> and a chilly breeze, but the day gets warmer with an occasional burst of sunshine. It has not rained either, as predicted by the MeT department, and the minimum temperature on the Lohri day is expected to hover between 4 and 6°C. Incidentally, the Jaffarpur Kalan area in Delhi has already recorded the lowest minimum temperature of 1.4°C a couple of days ago. The city also witnessed the worst fog in four years, with flight and train operations coming to a standstill. 
 
Such chilly weather means the bonfires must be extra large this time and the celebrations should get bigger as the sun goes down on Monday. Start the ritual with parikrama – circling the bonfire, chanting prayers, singing folk songs and putting in loads of til (sesame), <keyword id="2012380" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Moongphali">moongphali</keyword> (peanuts), <keyword id="2012381" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chirwa">chirwa</keyword> (puffed rice) and <keyword id="82600" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Maize">maize</keyword> (<keyword id="74000" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Popcorn">popcorn</keyword>) into the fire, as the old custom demands. Some even pour milk and water near the circle of fire. These prayers and offerings to the Sun are said to bring peace, harmony and prosperity throughout the year. When the parikrama is over, it is time to exchange gifts and distribute the prasad or puja offerings that mostly include peanuts, til, gajak, jaggery and other munchies. 
 
 
 
But Lohri also signifies a great celebration of life – dancing, feasting and revelry that bring in good cheer. So it’s time to go balle balle with some dazzling outfits, lively dance numbers, Patiala pegs and lip-smacking <keyword id="33659" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Punjabi-Cuisine">Punjabi cuisine</keyword>. Women can’t go much wrong with the <keyword id="2012402" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lohri-fashion">Lohri fashion</keyword>, though. A <keyword id="2012403" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Patiala-suit">Patiala suit</keyword> with bright-hued <keyword id="531498" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Phulkari">phulkari</keyword> work or heavily embellished <keyword id="6481130" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="zardozi">zardozi</keyword> designs, matching dupatta and gold/kundan jewellery complete the <keyword id="2012391" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ethnic-ensemble">ethnic ensemble</keyword> for this occasion. Go for bold colours and bright shades – not only for your outfit but also for your make-up. The more adventurous can always try glitter and rhinestone make-up to add some extra dazzle. Sport a front puff or a chotti (braid) with a parandi (decorative tassel) and walk out as the belle of the ball – ready to bhangra and giddha all evening, till the fire dies down. 
 Those in love with gourmet food are also looking forward to the celebrations. Start your evening with some spicy chat and tikka; wash it down with a Patiala peg or two or some sweet/salty lassi, and move on to a sumptuous dinner of <keyword id="2012392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Makhani-di-dal">makhani di dal</keyword>, <keyword id="460117" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sarson-da-saag">sarson da saag</keyword> and <keyword id="2012393" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Makki-di-roti">makki di roti</keyword> (more here on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Top-Indian-Foods-For-Your-Palate-Must-try-Items-FromEvery-State/articleshow/22515429.cms">top Indian foods</a>), followed by the traditional dessert – <keyword id="2012394" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gajar-da-halwa">gajar da halwa</keyword> or <keyword id="2012395" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mong-dal-da-halwa">mong dal da halwa</keyword>. 
 Although Lohri is mostly celebrated in Northern India, similar festivals are held in the East and the South. In <keyword id="6357783" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="West-Bengal">West Bengal</keyword>, it is <keyword id="42174" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Makar-Sankranti">Makar Sankranti</keyword> on January 14, just a day after Lohri. It is considered as one of the most auspicious days and lakhs of people from all over India take a <keyword id="6365583" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Holy-dip">holy dip</keyword> at the confluence of the river <keyword id="79976" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ganges">Ganges</keyword> and the <keyword id="55869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bay-of-Bengal">Bay of Bengal</keyword>. In <keyword id="28504" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kerala">Kerala</keyword>, it is <keyword id="38378" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="pongal">Pongal</keyword> from January 13 and the four-day harvest festival marks the start of a <keyword id="2012401" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="New-cycle">new cycle</keyword> as the Sun enters the northern hemisphere. And in <keyword id="6354915" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Assam">Assam</keyword>, people celebrate the <keyword id="523926" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Magh-Bihu">Magh Bihu</keyword> or <keyword id="95767" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhogali-Bihu">Bhogali Bihu</keyword> on January 14, an equivalent of Makar Sankranti and Pongal. 
 
With so many festivities coming up in the next few days, we wish all our readers happiness, prosperity, and most importantly, a thawing of the heart. Our emotions freeze up at times; our sensitivity becomes numb and our empathy well often runs dry. So what better time is there than today for a renewal of self? That’s what Lohri or the bonfire celebration is all about – it tells us to thaw out our hearts and celebrate a fresh start, a new cycle of life.

Happy
Lohri! It’s Now Bonfire Time, Folks!

As cold wave conditions continued to grip <keyword id="338661" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="northwest-india" source="Orion">Northwest India</keyword>, including Delhi-NCR, Punjab, <keyword id="6355588" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rajasthan" source="Orion">Rajasthan</keyword>, and <keyword id="41646" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="haryana" source="Orion">Haryana</keyword>, the <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> Meteorological Department has issued orange and yellow alerts in most parts of the region. An orange alert asks authorities concerned to "be prepared" to respond to any emergency situation arising out of weather change while the yellow alert signifies that the weather could change, and hence people should be vigilant. The <keyword id="6366970" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="imd" source="Orion">IMD</keyword> has predicted light to moderate rain and a hailstorm with winds gusting up to 50 kilometres per hour that will lash northwest India, next week. Light rain is also expected in Delhi, the weather office said predicting a "partly cloudy sky, moderate to dense fog in the morning with the possibility of very light rain/drizzle towards night". "An active Western Disturbance is very likely to affect northwest India from January 21 to January 25. Under its influence, rainfall/snowfall is likely to commence over the western Himalayan region in the early hours of January 21 and continue till January 25 with peak activity on January 23-24," the IMD said in a statement. The weather office further added that a light to moderate hailstorm is likely at isolated places over Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Uttar Pradesh and north Rajasthan on January 23 and 24. IMD has issued orange and yellow alerts in parts of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh as these area are likely to witness severe cold wave. In Punjab, Gurdaspur, Firozpur, Muktsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Bathinda are on orange alert. Districts such as Fazilka, Barnala, Sangrur, Ludhiana and Fatehgarh Sahib are on yellow alert. In Haryana, Sonipat, Jhajjar, Rewari, Sonipat and Hisar are on orange alert, while Ambala, Kurukshetra, Bhiwand Palwal are on yellow alert. Most parts of Uttar Pradesh are on yellow alert. Meanwhile, the national capital on Wednesday witnessed foggy conditions, with several flights and trains running late due to low visibility. Several flights scheduled to depart from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) were delayed due to fog, informed airport authority on Wednesday. While the Northern Railway informed that six trains were running late due to fog. Earlier, India Meteorological Department said that two western disturbances in quick succession are likely to affect northwest India on January 18 and 20, as a result, cold wave conditions over northwest India are likely to abate from January 19. "Cold wave conditions over northwest India likely to abate from January 19. The rainfall/thunderstorm is likely to commence from January 22 and continue till January 25 with peak activity on 23 and 24 January over the plains of Northwest India including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and North Rajasthan," the IMD said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/delhi-records-eighth-cold-wave-day/articleshow/97079910.cms">Delhi records eighth cold wave day</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/pm-modi-asks-bjp-workers-to-refrain-from-making-unnecessary-comments-about-films/articleshow/97080001.cms">PM Modi asks BJP workers to refrain from making 'unnecessary' comments about films</a>

Unabated cold wave in northwest India, IMD issues orange, yellow alerts

<ul><li><keyword id="6366970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IMD" source="Orion">IMD</keyword> has issued an <keyword id="2917676" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="orange-alert" source="Orion">orange alert</keyword> in Mumbai, Assam and Meghalaya due to intense rainfall.</li><li>Heavy rainfall with thunderstorms likely to hit north, northeastern and southern states in the next five days.</li><li>Whereas, no warning has been issued for Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Marathwada and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.</li></ul>In the next 2-3 days, there would be heavy rainfall across northern, central and eastern parts of India, according to the <keyword id="55209" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Meteorological-Department" source="Orion">Indian Meteorological Department</keyword> (IMD). It has even issued orange alerts in Mumbai, Assam and Meghalaya in anticipation of intense rainfall – shifting gears from one extreme weather to another. Assam and Meghalaya — which are two worst hit states by flood — are likely to receive more rain today. Around 52 people have died in these two states due to floods and 44 lakh people have been displaced so far. The IMD has indicated a strong chance of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Mumbai, Palghar, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra. Chennai too is expected to be the epicenter of heavy rainfall – along adjoining districts like Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam localities. The state witnessed a heavy downpour on Sunday, June 19, as well which is an indication of more thunderstorms in the coming days in Chennai and suburbs in addition to a downpour on Monday. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Heavy rainfall with thunderstorms likely in north and the northeast" comment="subhead" text="Heavy rainfall with thunderstorms likely in north and the northeast">Heavy rainfall with thunderstorms likely in north and the northeast</cmsannotation> According to sub-division wise warnings by IMD, northern states like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh are likely to experience heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning. The rain will bring a reprieve from the scorching heat especially in the northern states of India. Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, West Madhya Pradesh and East Rajasthan may witness only lightning and thunderstorms. Similar conditions are likely to surface in Bihar, Jharkhand and East Uttar Pradesh. Widespread rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning very likely to occur in Odisha, Vidarbha and Chhattisgarh in the next five days. Heavy rainfall is likely to occur in Gujarat region and Madhya Maharashtra, as per the IMD report. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms" comment="subhead" text="Cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms">Cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms</cmsannotation> IMD has also predicted that the sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy for the next 24 hours in the southern states. Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, South Interior Karnataka may witness heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning. Similar conditions are likely to prevail in northeastern states as well — West Bengal and Sikkim, Gangetic West Bengal, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Saurashtra and Kutch, Coastal Karnataka and Kerala are likely to experience strong surface winds. However, no warning has been issued for Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Marathwada and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/life-in-rural-india-hit-by-a-wilted-rabi-crop/articleshow/92333426.cms">Vanished savings, trading down to cheaper essentials – life in rural India hit by a wilted Rabi crop</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/bengaluru-attempts-to-promote-e-mobility-by-setting-up-nearly-150-new-ev-charging-stations-across-the-city/articleshow/92331903.cms">Bengaluru attempts to promote e-mobility by setting up nearly 150 new EV charging stations across the city</a>

India heads into the thunderstorm zone right after the heatwave, orange alerts issued

<ul><li>Monsoon is expected to bring above-average rain showers in the coming two weeks, according to weather officials. </li><li>The weekend — 27-28 July — will receive heavy rainfall in states of Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal and Uttarakhand among others. </li><li> Last week, India witnessed low rainfall, 35% below average. </li><li>The monsoon rainfall accounts for 70% of India’s annual rainfall.</li></ul>Monsoons have started late across the country, but looks like they will have an extended run. In the coming two weeks, monsoons are expected to bring in the much needed showers, according to weather officials. “In the next two weeks, we are likely to get above average rainfall, which will be well distributed across the country,” said A K Srivastava, head of the climate research division, <keyword id="6355166" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India-meteorological-department">India Meteorological Department</keyword> (IMD)<a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/us-india-monsoon/india-to-get-above-average-monsoon-rains-in-next-two-weeks-idINKCN1UK1L7"> told </a>Reuters. Rainy weekend The weekend — 27 to 28 July — will receive heavy rainfall in states of Rajasthan, coastal Maharashtra, Goa, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, interior Maharashtra and Odisha. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; width: 468pt;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Indian Cities </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Minimum temp (°C) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Maximum temp (°C) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Forecast </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Delhi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">26 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">33 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Cloudy, moderate rains </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Mumbai </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">24 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">30 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Intermittent and heavy rains </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Kolkata </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">26 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">33 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Thundershowers, light rainfall </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Pune </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">22 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">29 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Moderate rains </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Chennai </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">23 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">34 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;">Light rainfall </td></tr></tbody></table> Other states with high rainfall and thunderstorms include coastal Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Assam, Meghalaya, Gujarat and Jharkhand. However, in the national capital Delhi, rains will come with bad air quality, the weather report said. The IMD <keyword id="51704" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="weather-forecast">weather forecast</keyword> aligns with predictions of the<a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/strong-monsoon-over-central-india-may-last-for-a-fortnight/article28690027.ece"> Climate Prediction Centre</a> of the US <keyword id="108482" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Weather-Service">National Weather Service</keyword>, which too had predicted monsoon showers between 1-8 August. Drought &amp; Floods This year India had faced extreme weather conditions — floods and droughts. While Chennai is battling water crisis, Assam is struggling with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/no-water-no-food-no-shelter-15-devastating-photos-show-how-destructive-assam-and-bihar-floods-are/articleshow/70291696.cms">floods</a>. Overall, the monsoon was deficient by 17% which impacted the crops. The most affected are cotton and groundnut crops in Gujarat. This late monsoons will bring cheer to Indian farmers and yield summer-sown crops, which have been sagging due to low rainfall. “Good rainfall in the next few days can bring down stress level and accelerate sowing,” said Prerana Desai, Head of Research at Edelweiss Rural &amp; Corporate Services. Over half of the arable land banks on monsoon rains for cultivation as they account for 70% of India’s total rainfall. According to the Agriculture Ministry, crop plantation has been low with summer crop plantation spreading over 56.7 million hectares of land this year. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-is-facing-two-extreme-weather-conditions-together-drought-and-floods-/articleshow/70273165.cms">Bone dry or deluge — the freakish monsoon is killing Indians either way</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/chennai-gets-monsoon-showers-but-its-too-little-to-solve-the-water-crisis/articleshow/70342615.cms">Chennai gets monsoon showers, but its too little to solve the water crisis</a>

Top Indian cities brace for a wet weekend after Met Dept forecast two weeks of 'above average' rain

Xiaomi 13 Pro Review: Cameras stand true to the promise

New Delhi, Mar 12 () Skies are cloudy for carriers in the current quarter as they navigate the coronavirus outbreak but the next three months might turn out to be better, according to two airline industry executives. Lower oil prices and possibility of a spurt in domestic passenger traffic due to international travel restrictions would benefit the domestic airline industry, they added. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, domestic carriers have reduced the number of international flights. On Wednesday, the government also decided to suspend tourist visas from March 13 till April 15. SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh on Thursday said the aviation sector is under a lot of pressure but this is temporary. "We have been here before. SpiceJet is far better placed than many others to weather this turbulence. I firmly believe that this is an opportunity for SpiceJet, for the government and the aviation ecosystem to create more efficient and viable structures for the growth that lies ahead. "SpiceJet will emerge even stronger from this," he said in a statement. Noting that the Indian aviation market, especially the domestic space, has immense potential, he said it would remain amongst the fastest growing in the world. Since there are travel restrictions till April 15, domestic air traffic might start increasing as the people who had planned their vacations abroad would look for domestic destinations, according to a senior airline industry official. As a spillover effect of international travel restrictions, the overall load factor and yield in the domestic sector might also go up, he noted. Generally, yield refers to money made by an airline on every seat occupied. "Some of the grounded capacity from the international will be redeployed in domestic routes...," he said, adding that airlines could see a better June quarter, especially on account of lower fuel prices. Another executive said there would not be any massive impact on SpiceJet as it has less international operations. Also, excess capacity in overseas routes can be deployed in the domestic sector and leases of aircraft taken for short term might not be renewed, the executive added. The fall in oil prices would also be a silver lining for the airline industry. Due to various factors, including the coronavirus outbreak, oil prices have been sailing south in recent days. On Thursday, brent crude oil futures declined over 5 per cent to USD 33.82 per barrel. Fuel cost accounts for around 40 per cent of an airline's operational expenses. There is a lot of scope for cutting costs, the executive said. A Vistara spokesperson said that business on some of its international and domestic routes has been impacted. "We are reviewing the situation everyday and remain nimble in our approach," the spokesperson added. Companies as well as individuals who choose charter services have started taking precautionary measures and are refraining from travel, JetSetGo Founder and CEO Kanika Tekriwal said. JetSetGo Aviation is an aircraft management company. "Due to coronavirus, in private aviation we definitely have increased requests for international flights where travel can't be avoided as passengers are willing to avoid the exposure that commercials might bring them. But at the same time we are also witnessing a decrease in travel altogether," she added. Shares of airlines took a beating on Thursday, with IndiGo tumbling over 11 per cent. On Wednesday, it said that quarterly earnings would be hit due to fall in daily bookings amid the coronavirus outbreak. SpiceJet dropped over 19 per cent. On March 9, the Airports Council International (ACI) said prolonged duration of the coronavirus outbreak could result in a revenue loss of USD 3 billion for airports in the Asia-Pacific region. Asia-Pacific is suffering the highest impact, with passenger traffic volumes down 24 per cent for the first quarter of the current year, compared to projected traffic levels without COVID-19, as per the ACI World estimates. ACI is a grouping of airports. It serves 668 members, operating 1,979 airports in 176 countries. The International Airport Transport Association (IATA), on March 5, projected that the airline industry could lose up to USD 113 billion in revenue this year due to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The grouping's previous analysis, issued in February, put the lost revenues at USD 29.3 billion. This was based on a scenario that would see the impact of COVID-19 largely being confined to markets associated with China. IAS RAM ABMABM

In times of coronavirus pandemic, airlines stare at uncertainty this quarter

In the first half of June 2014, news accounts described an extreme heatwave in India, as well as the late and somewhat weak arrival of the seasonal monsoon. Air temperatures in New Delhi climbed as high as 48° Celsius (118° Fahrenheit) and stayed above 43°C (110°F) for seven days. Satellite data offer some insights on what was happening on the ground.
The maps above show <a href="http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/GlobalMaps/view.php?d1=MOD_LSTAD_M&amp;eocn=home&amp;eoci=globalmaps">land surface temperature (LST) anomalies</a> for southern Asia from June 2-9 and June 10-17, 2014. LST anomalies are not absolute temperatures; instead, they show how much the land surface was heated above or below the average. The darkest reds show areas where the ground was as much as 12°C (22°F) above the norm from 2001-2010; blues show areas that were below normal; and grays depicts areas with incomplete data (usually due to excessive cloud cover).
<h3>June 2 to June 9, 2014:</h3>
<h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image">NASANASA Earth Observatory image by Kevin Ward, using data from the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LPDAAC). </div></div></div>June 10 to June 14, 2014:<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image">NASANASA Earth Observatory image by Kevin Ward, using data from the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LPDAAC). </div></div></div></h3>
The top map depicts extreme heating northwestern India, Tibet, and southern China in the first week of June; the temperature highs were less extreme in the June 10-17 period. Yet neither map fully captures the heatwave that occurred in northern and central India because it overlapped two different weeks of data. Each map shows an average of eight days, so the extreme temperatures of individual days gets smoothed out by the average to cooler temperatures on other days in the period. The extremes around New Delhi also might not show up as brightly in this map because temperatures were about 5°C above the norm while other areas went as much as 12°C above.
But the map does reveal something else: the arrival of the monsoon. Note how much of central and western India is cooler in the second week; there are also several gray areas where cloudiness masked out measurements of the ground. Rainfall, cloud cover, and moist breezes from the Arabian Sea likely explain the change in land surface temperatures. India's meteorological agency noted that the monsoon has arrived, but rainfall in the June to September period is expected to be weaker than normal.
Observed by satellites uniformly around the world, land surface temperatures are a measure of the amount of infrared energy (thermal radiance) emitted by Earth's surface as it is heated by daylight and cooled in the dark of night. LSTs are sometimes referred to as land "skin" temperatures, and indeed they are a reflection of how hot a surface would feel to the touch. To learn more about LSTs, read <a href="http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/HottestSpot/page2.php">Where is the Hottest Place on Earth?</a> If you would like to view maps of surface temperatures for the rest of the world, <a href="http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/view.php?datasetId=MOD_LSTAD_E&amp;date=2014-06-10">click here.</a>
Reference
<ol class="references">
<li>Reuters India (2014, June 12) <a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/06/19/india-monsoon-rainfall-idINL4N0P02UI20140619">Monsoon covers India in half of weak phase, slows sowing.</a> Accessed June 20, 2014.</li>
<li>Reuters India (2014, June 19) <a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/06/12/uk-india-heatwave-idINKBN0EN0T420140612">Anger rises as India swelters under record heatwave.</a> Accessed June 20, 2014.</li>
<li><cite>USA Today</cite> (2014, June 11) <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/06/11/heat-wave-india-monsoon/10336327/">Intense heat bakes India as monsoon approaches.</a> Accessed June 20, 2014.</li>
<li><cite>The Wall Street Journal</cite> (2014, June 20) <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/monsoon-rains-cover-around-half-of-india-1403272043">Monsoon Rains Cover About Half of India.</a> Accessed June 20, 2014.</li>
</ol>
NASA Earth Observatory image by Kevin Ward, using data from the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LPDAAC). Caption by Michael Carlowicz.
<dl><dt>Instrument(s): Terra - MODIS</dt></dl><div class="feed-footer-wrapper"><div class="feed-footer">

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