Just when it seemed that winter was gone and woollens were getting packed away, parts of India woke up to a chilly and rather damp morning on Sunday as a rare storm swept the northern and central regions of the country, even surprising Maharashtra and other neighbouring states with rare March rain.

The sudden change in weather, caused by western disturbances, according to the India Meteorological Department, and the rain continued through the day. Monday morning was no different.

Storms occasionally drop southward and impact places in and around the Himalayas during the beginning of March, but it is rare for widespread substantial rain such as this elsewhere across northern and central India, said Kristina Pydynowski, senior meteorologist at accuweather.com.

While the rain brought a welcome nip in the air, it also left parts of Delhi waterlogged, disrupting traffic, raising concerns about Class 12 board exams today. No less than Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was out on Twitter appealing to Delhi police and his party volunteers to help clear traffic jams.

Snow storm and landslides also continued intermittently in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh forcing the authorities to close down the Jammu-Srinagar highway.

A look at some photographs which portray the different shades of rains in the country: