Dust storms, hail, rainfall bring respite; mercury dips across Raj

Jaipur: Severe weather conditions, including hailstorms, dust storms, and rainfall, caused the mercury to drop by almost 4° celsius in most places in the state Friday. Barmer remained the hottest in the state with a maximum temperature of 43.4° celsius.
According to the meteorological department, the ongoing weather conditions are expected to continue until May 7. Attributing the climatic change to the active western disturbances, the Met office said, dust storms, hailstorms, and rainfall are likely to continue in many places in the Bikaner, Ajmer, Jaipur, and Bharatpur divisions of the state.
A day after hailstorms and rainfall were witnessed in and around Jaipur, the city witnessed a comparatively pleasant morning with a minimum temperature of 23.4°celsius.
It was followed by a less warm afternoon when a maximum temperature of 35.5°, almost 5° below the normal notch, was recorded. In the afternoon, a heavy dust storm was witnessed in and around Jaipur. Due to the dust storm in the morning, trees were uprooted and fell on the road in Khatipura and Ajmer road areas.
During the morning hours, a high-velocity dust storm was witnessed in Jaipur, Bharatpur, Alwar, and Jhunjhunu, when electric poles were uprooted, and trees fell on the roads. Due to the rainfall in many places in the Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Bharatpur, and Ajmer divisions of the state, the majority of the places witnessed maximum temperatures below 40.0° celsius, except Phalodi (42.8°), Chittorgarh (42.6°), Jodhpur (42.3°), Udaipur (41.6°) and Jaisalmer, where a maximum temperature of 41°celsius was recorded.
In its forecast, the Met office said some places in the Jaipur, Bharatpur, and Ajmer divisions of the state are likely to receive mild to moderate rain. Also, there is a possibility of hailstorms and lightning at some places in the Jaipur, Ajmer, Bikaner, and Bharatpur divisions of the state.