Dense fog grips Rajasthan, cold wave intensifies

Dense fog has covered various districts in Rajasthan, causing visibility to drop to just ten meters in many areas. Jaipur and border districts like Jaisalmer and Sri Ganganagar are experiencing these conditions. The state is witnessing unusual temperature patterns due to the dense fog and the impact of an active Western Disturbance over North India. Daytime temperatures have significantly decreased, making days colder than nights in some regions. Maximum temperatures in several cities have fallen below 20 degrees Celsius. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a severe cold warning starting from Tuesday, predicting a further decrease in temperatures.
Jaisalmer has been engulfed in dense fog since early Monday morning, intensifying the cold weather. The fog has also affected northeastern Rajasthan, including Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, and Dausa. These areas have witnessed a sharp decline in daytime temperatures. Alwar and Karauli experienced their coldest day of the season so far, with maximum temperatures dropping to 17 degrees Celsius and 17.8 degrees Celsius, respectively. Karauli saw a significant 7-degree Celsius drop in maximum temperature, while Alwar recorded a decrease of 5.4 degrees Celsius.
Several other cities like Dausa, Sri Ganganagar, Kota, Pilani, Jaipur, Chittorgarh, and Jaisalmer have also observed temperature declines ranging from 1 to 7 degrees Celsius. Sri Ganganagar experienced light fog throughout the day, leading to ‘cold day’ conditions in multiple districts. The cloud cover associated with the Western Disturbance has weakened northerly winds, resulting in increased minimum temperatures and reduced morning and evening chill. Night temperatures in various cities rose by up to 5 degrees Celsius on Sunday.
The lowest minimum temperatures were recorded at 8.0 degrees Celsius in Pali and 8.9 degrees Celsius in Sirohi. The Director of the Meteorological Centre in Jaipur, Radheshyam Sharma, mentioned that the impact of the Western Disturbance would persist through Monday, with light cloud cover expected in some regions. He also forecasted a drop of 3 to 4 degrees Celsius in minimum temperatures starting from December 23, along with the continuation of dense fog in parts of northeastern and northwestern Rajasthan.