Jaipur:

Biting cold conditions intensified in Rajasthan with many cities, including Jaipur, recording a 2 to 3 degrees Celsius drop in minimum temperature due to the influence of northern winds.

Bharatpur, Hanumangarh, Jhunjhunu, and Alwar reported cold-day conditions, with the weather centre predicting rainfall next week.

The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for fog in 14 districts of the state on Saturday.

On Friday, Jaipur’s maximum temperature was 18.5 degrees Celsius.

Weather experts said that people may have some respite form the bone-chilling cold from Sunday, with sunny skies expected to raise both day and night temperatures by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius.

Mount Abu saw a sharp drop in temperature, with the mercury plunging to 0.8 degrees Celsius on Friday.

The minimum temperatures were below 10 degrees Celsius in all cities except Kota and Dungarpur.

Further, the minimum temperature in Ajmer was 6.9 degrees Celsius, Bhilwara 9.6 degrees Celcius, Alwar 7.5 degrees Celsius, Sikar four degrees Celsius, Jaisalmer seven degrees Celsius, Sirohi 3.8 degrees Celsius, Mount Abu had 0.8 degree Celsius and Dausa 7.3 degrees Celcius.

According to the Jaipur Meteorological Centre, a western disturbance will affect Rajasthan, starting January 22, leading to significant weather changes.

This system may bring rain and thunderstorms to parts of Bikaner, Jaipur, and Bharatpur divisions.

The weather will remain dry from January 20, with day and night temperatures expected to rise slightly.

The desert state has been severely affected by cold waves brought in by cyclonic winds.

The state government has also been announcing holidays in schools in the wake of the cold conditions and reduced visibility due to fog.

Notably, the chilling cold conditions in North India have led several states to extend winter vacations.

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A cold wave is intensifying across North India, including Delhi-NCR, as temperatures dip following light rain in the plains and snowfall in the mountains. Delhi is grappling with a double threat of pollution and plummeting temperatures, while cold wave and fog conditions persist in Punjab and Haryana. Snowfall and cold wave alerts have been issued for Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, with rising cold also being felt in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 7 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with a thin layer of fog enveloping parts of the national capital. On Monday, the minimum temperature stood at 8 degrees Celsius, while the maximum reached 20 degrees Celsius.

Residents of the national capital were seen gathering bonfires to combat the chill, while others took refuge in night shelter homes as temperatures continued to drop in Delhi.

In Rajasthan, the cold weather persisted, significantly impacting daily life due to the falling temperatures. In Bikaner, the temperature was recorded at 9 degrees Celsius, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

Cold wave continues to affect the daily life of the people in Jammu and Kashmir, with temperatures dropping below zero in many areas. Srinagar recorded a temperature of -5.2 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am on Tuesday. Other recorded temperatures included -0.6 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg, – 6.8 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam, – 0.8 degrees Celsius in Banihal and – 4.6 degrees Celsius in Kupwara.

On Monday, Srinagar experienced a minimum temperature of -7 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of 7 degrees Celsius, as reported by the IMD.

As per the IMD, a cold wave is considered when the minimum temperature of a station is 10 degrees Celsius or less for plains and 0 degrees Celsius or less for Hilly regions.

The IMD forecasts a severe cold wave in Jammu and Kashmir starting from December 24. Additionally, dense fog conditions and a cold wave are expected to prevail from December 23 to 25 in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and other states.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital was classified in the ‘severe’ category on Tuesday, with visibility limited by the fog. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the AQI was recorded at 401 at 8 AM. On the previous day, the AQI also fell into the ‘severe’ category, measuring 403 at 7 AM.

Specific AQI readings included 417 in Alipur, 423 in Anand Vihar, 425 in RK Puram, and 402 at ITO.

An AQI rating is categorized as follows: 0-50 (good), 51-100 (satisfactory), 101-200 (moderate), 201-300 (poor), 301-400 (very poor), and 401-500 (severe).

(With inputs from ANI)