Jaipur, May 11 (IANS) Even as a severe heatwave continues to scorch much of western Rajasthan, parts of the state witnessed thunderstorms and light rain on Monday under the influence of an active Western Disturbance, the Meteorological Department said.

A yellow alert has been sounded in Churu, Alwar, Deeg, Bharatpur, Jhunjhunu, and other districts of the state, warning of rains and thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, Hanumangarh witnessed a sudden change in the weather on Monday morning as clouds gathered around 6.30 a.m., followed by intermittent rainfall beginning at 6.45 a.m. The rain continued for nearly an hour, accompanied by strong winds.

The rainfall brought relief to residents from the intense heat that had prevailed for several days. Met officials said that isolated dust storms and light rainfall are likely on May 11 and 12 in parts of the Bikaner division, the Shekhawati region, and northern areas of the Jaipur and Bharatpur divisions under the influence of a new Western Disturbance. Also, both minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to rise by 2-3 degrees across most parts of the state over the coming days.

Heatwave conditions are also expected to intensify in parts of western Rajasthan, where the possibility of “warm nights”, unusually high night-time temperatures, remains strong over the next five to six days.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, Barmer recorded the hottest day of the season and emerged as the hottest city in the state, with the mercury soaring to 46.8 degrees Celsius. Heatwave conditions persisted throughout the day in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Phalodi, while several districts in eastern Rajasthan witnessed comparatively mild weather conditions.

According to the weather department, skies remained clear across the state on Sunday, with intense sunshine prevailing from morning till evening. Apart from Barmer, maximum temperatures recorded included 46.3 degrees Celsius in Jaisalmer, 46 degrees Celsius in Phalodi, 44.6 degrees Celsius in Jodhpur, 44.4 degrees Celsius in Bikaner, and 43 degrees Celsius in Sri Ganganagar. The heatwave had the strongest impact in Barmer, Balotra, Phalodi, Jaisalmer, and Jodhpur, where daytime conditions resembled a curfew-like situation due to deserted roads and markets.

Other major temperatures recorded across the state included 43 degrees Celsius in Jalore, 43.4 degrees Celsius in Chittorgarh, 42 degrees Celsius in Pali, 42.5 degrees Celsius in Lunkaransar, 41.7 degrees C in Nagaur, 41.6 degrees C in Udaipur, 41.8 degrees C in Kota, and 41 degrees C in Ajmer.

Radheshyam Sharma, Director of the Meteorological Centre in Jaipur, said the Western Disturbance became active in Rajasthan from Monday. Under its influence, districts in the Jaipur and Bharatpur divisions are likely to witness strong winds, dust storms, scattered cloud cover, and light rainfall over the next few days. However, heatwave conditions are expected to continue in the Jodhpur division of western Rajasthan and the Udaipur division of southern Rajasthan.

In view of the prevailing conditions, alerts have been issued for several districts for the next three days. Daily life in Jodhpur continued to be affected by extreme heat on Sunday, with the maximum temperature reaching 44.6 degrees Celsius. The Meteorological Department has issued a heatwave warning for the district from May 11 to May 13.

Ajmer recorded a maximum temperature of 41 degrees C and a minimum of 25.9 degrees C on Sunday. Officials said temperatures may rise by another 1-2 degrees over the next two days. Dust storms and strong winds are also likely during the afternoon hours.

Sikar has been witnessing steadily rising temperatures for the past three days, accompanied by hot winds and intense sunshine. The Meteorological Department has predicted dry weather conditions in the district for the next three days, with no immediate relief expected.

The weather remained clear in Alwar on Sunday, where the maximum temperature settled at 38 degrees C. The Meteorological Department has issued an alert for thunderstorms, rain, and strong winds in the district for the next two days. Kota recorded a maximum temperature of 41.8 degrees C on Sunday. High humidity and low wind speeds increased discomfort among residents.

–IANS

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