Islamabad Faces More Flooding; Storms to Rattle New Delhi

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

March 5,2015; 9:54PM,EST

 

 

Afghanistan, Pakistan and India will once again become the target of another storm, complete with snow, potentially flooding rain and thunderstorms, Saturday through Monday.
While not as robust as recent storms, the impending storm will still prove to be impactful as it slowly tracks from west to east.
Rain and mountain snow will spread across Afghanistan Friday through Friday night, then will press to northeastern India by Saturday night. Additional rain and thunderstorms will follow across Pakistan and India Sunday and Monday.
The heaviest rain will fall in the lower elevations and foothills of northern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan and northern India (north of New Delhi).

Rainfall totals will generally be on the order of 25 to 50 mm (1 to 2 inches). With the ground already saturated from recent storms, flash flooding may ensue.
Islamabad, Pakistan, is among the communities at risk for flooding and endured deadly flooding earlier this week, stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Eric Leister.
"Islamabad has faced three serious flooding events since the middle of February, including two in the past week."
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"Heavy rain fell on Monday, triggering the latest round of flooding which claimed at least 25 lives, according to The Nation," Leister reported.
In the neighboring Himalayas, "there will easily be 30 cm (a foot) of snow," stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Anthony Sagliani. That includes for the mountains surrounding Kabul, Afghanistan.
"Kabul, itself, will also see some snow, especially Saturday, with the potential for a coating to 3 cm (an inch)," stated Sagliani.
The storm will otherwise be responsible for producing showers and thunderstorms across the rest of Afghanistan, southern Pakistan and central India (including around New Delhi).
The showers and thunderstorms will generally be spotty in nature, but a localized downpour leading to flash flooding issues and poor travel cannot be ruled out.
Added Sagliani, "I am also concerned for isolated strong thunderstorms to erupt in central India, from New Delhi southward late Sunday."
Even if downpours and gusty winds remain absent from New Delhi, the fact that the city is expected to receive more rainfall following the drenching from earlier in the month is quite unusual.
New Delhi averages 16 mm (0.63 of an inch of rain) in March, but the city was inundated with nearly 72 mm (2.83 inches) earlier in the week.