Cyclone 'Arnab' brings rain, hailstorms to Rajasthan; weather alert issued

Jaipur: The impact of Cyclone 'Arnab' continues to be felt across Rajasthan, with strong winds, rainfall and hailstorms affecting several parts of the state. The Meteorological Department has issued yellow and orange alerts for thunderstorms and rain in 28 districts on Friday.

In Jaipur, intermittent rainfall has continued since Thursday afternoon, accompanied by cold winds that have intensified the chill. Several areas of the city also reported hailstorms. Over the past 24 hours, rainfall has been recorded in Karauli, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Alwar, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur, Bhilwara, Ajmer, Nagaur and Tonk, among other districts.

The change in weather has brought a significant drop in temperatures. Maximum temperatures in around 20 districts have declined by up to 5 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures in some areas have fallen by as much as 10 degrees Celsius. Intermittent rainfall has been continuing since late Thursday night in Pratapgarh village under Thanagazi Panchayat Samiti of Alwar district. The rain has caused inconvenience to voters arriving at polling stations, with many carrying umbrellas to cast their votes.

Despite the widespread change in weather, western Rajasthan continued to experience relatively warmer conditions. Maximum temperatures remained below 30 degrees Celsius in most parts of the state, barring some western districts. Barmer recorded the state's highest maximum temperature at 35.8 degrees, while several other districts witnessed a drop of up to 5 degrees Celsius. Rainfall that began in Jaipur on Thursday afternoon continued into the night and early Friday.

Light to moderate showers were reported in several areas, including Tonk Road, Gopalpura, Malviya Nagar, Jagatpura, Ajmeri Gate and the Collectorate. The city's maximum temperature dropped by 4 degrees to 27.4 degrees Celsius.

The Meteorological Department has forecast further rainfall in Jaipur on Friday. Alwar experienced intermittent light rainfall from Thursday morning, bringing a noticeable chill to the weather. The maximum temperature remained around 27 degrees Celsius, and further rain is likely on Friday. In Udaipur, cloudy conditions prevailed from Thursday morning, with occasional sunshine. A slight chill was also felt, while the maximum temperature was recorded at 30 degrees Celsius. In Kota, the sky remained overcast on Thursday morning, although no rainfall was reported. Sunshine appeared in the afternoon. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 30.9 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 21.6 degrees Celsius. A rain alert has been issued for Friday.

Jodhpur also witnessed fluctuating weather conditions. Although rainfall was forecast for Thursday, the city remained dry under cloudy skies. The maximum temperature was recorded at 34.2 degrees Celsius, which was 0.4 degrees below normal, while the minimum stood at 20.4 degrees Celsius, around 3 degrees above normal. The department has issued a yellow alert for Friday.

In Ajmer, cloudy skies prevailed throughout Thursday, with limited sunshine keeping temperatures relatively low. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 29.1 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 18 degrees Celsius.

Sikar also experienced the impact of Cyclone 'Arnab', with cloudy conditions throughout Thursday and a noticeable drop in daytime temperatures. The district recorded a maximum temperature of 30.5 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 10.5 degrees Celsius.

The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for rainfall in Sikar district for the next two days.

Residents across Rajasthan have been advised to remain alert as thunderstorms, strong winds and rainfall are expected to continue in several districts.

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