Jaipur: Rajasthan is bracing for a cold wave as a strong western disturbance becomes active starting January 10. The Jaipur Center of the Meteorological Department has issued a warning that the cold wave could begin to intensify in the coming days.
"A strong western disturbance will be active from January 10 to 12, bringing rain and thunderstorms to Bikaner, Jaipur, and Bharatpur divisions," said Radheshyam Sharma, Director of the Jaipur Meteorological Centre. The disturbances will cause temperatures to drop by five degrees in both day and night temperatures.
The department has issued cold wave alerts for several regions, including Alwar, Bharatpur, Ajmer, Dausa, Jaipur, Sikar, Sriganganagar, Bikaner, and Hanumangarh. "From Monday night, cold winds have started affecting the state due to the western disturbance, resulting in a significant drop in both minimum and maximum temperatures," added Sharma.
Cold Day Recorded in Easter Rajasthan
On Monday, cold day conditions were observed in parts of eastern Rajasthan. The highest maximum temperature recorded was 26.0 degrees Celsius at Jawai Dam in Pali, while the lowest was recorded at 2.5 degrees Celsius in Nagaur. "This drop in temperatures is mainly due to the cold winds from the western disturbance," said a weather official. The temperature at Mount Abu also saw a noticeable decrease, with the maximum temperature recorded at 15.8 degrees Celsius and the minimum at 5.2 degrees Celsius.
In rural areas like Nagaur, the temperature dipped below 8 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperatures on Monday night were 2.5 degrees Celsius in Nagaur, 4.02 degrees Celsius in Sirohi, 4.4 degrees Celsius in Fatehpur, and 5.9 degrees Celsius in Chittorgarh. Other areas including Bikaner, Dausa, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Ganganagar recorded temperatures ranging from 6 degrees Celsius to 7.8 degrees Celsius.
Dense Fog in the Morning Affects Travel
Dense Fog gripped the state, affecting visibility in regions like Alwar, Dausa, Jaipur, Jhujhunu, Sikar, Bikaner, Sriganganagar, and Bharatpur. "The fog was so thick in Jaipur that visibility on the roads was reduced to just 50-100 meters from 6 am to 7 am," said a local resident. Many drivers struggled with the low visibility, and people were seen gathering around bonfires to keep warm.
School Holidays Extended in 23 Districts
Due to the ongoing cold wave and severe weather conditions, the government has decided to extend school holidays for students in classes 1-8 across 23 districts. "The holiday extension in schools will last until January 11 in Alwar, Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Behror, Kotputli, Sawaimadhopur, Bikaner, Khairthal, Tijara, Jhunjhunu, Jhalawar, and Churu. In other districts like Kota, Deeg, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Baran, and Chittorgarh, the holidays have been extended till January 9," confirmed Ashish Modi, Director of Secondary Education.
In Dausa, classes for grades 1-8 will remain closed until January 7. Similarly, in Didwana-Kuchaman, the holidays have been extended until January 8 for students up to grade 5.
Forecast for the Next Few Days
According to the Meteorological Department, temperatures are expected to drop further in the coming days. "Dense fog will continue for the next three days, and temperatures will remain low," added Sharma. The weather is expected to remain dry for the next 3-4 days, with temperatures likely to fall by 2-4 degrees Celsius in most parts of the state.
However, the western disturbance will bring rain and thunderstorms to the Bikaner, Jaipur, and Bharatpur divisions from January 10 to 12 intensifying the cold wave.
