Rajasthan and large parts of western and central India are expected to witness thundershowers and hailstorms over the next few days in the run-up to Holi.

The festival of colours will be celebrated across the country on March 7 and 8.

The weather office has forecast thundershowers and hailstorms from Saturday till Wednesday due to two successive extra-tropical weather systems over the region.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the western Himalayan Region is also likely to witness isolated to scattered rainfall or snowfall on Saturday and Sunday. It notified that Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat light to moderate thunderstorms from March 4 to 8. "The Western Disturbance as a trough in middle tropospheric westerlies runs roughly along Longitude 62°E to the north of Latitude 20°N and an induced circulation over north Gujarat in lower levels. A fresh feeble western disturbance as a trough in middle tropospheric westerlies likely to affect northwest, west and central India region from March 7," the weather office said.

It said isolated light or moderate thunderstorm activity is also likely over south Haryana on Saturday and over West Rajasthan till Sunday.

Similar weather conditions are also likely to prevail over East Rajasthan, West Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Marathwada and Madhya Maharashtra till March 8.

Strong surface winds with speeds between 20-30 kmph are very likely over the plains of northwest India during the next two days.

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