India, Jan. 23 -- Large parts of northern India received rain or snow on January 23. This was the result of a western disturbance, a storm originating in the Mediterranean region that brings winter precipitation to India's northern parts. While this storm has affected weather in northern India several times this winter, it is only the current spell that is causing widespread rain.

This lack of rain from the storm so far had made the post-monsoon season very dry across most of northern India. An HT analysis suggests that the scale and severity of this dry weather was very high, although perhaps not felt as acutely as during the summer months. Moreover, while other regions may not have had as long a continuous spell, cumulative rainfall is...