Yellow alert for cold wave in five Rajasthan districts

Rajasthan is steeling itself for a sharper bite of winter, with the India Meteorological Department sounding a yellow alert for an impending cold wave across five districts — Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Didwana-Kuchaman and Nagaur.

Across the state, the chill has already begun to creep in, and forecasters warn that the next 48 hours could usher in an even keener descent in mercury. In the past day, Fatehpur trembled at 3.7°C, emerging as one of eastern Rajasthan’s iciest corners, while Nagaur dipped to a frosty 4.3°C in the west.

Meteorologists note that a veil of cloud over Shekhawati briefly blunted the sting of the winds — a fragile respite now set to vanish. With skies expected to clear from December 10 onward, the cold wave is poised to tighten its grip, dragging minimum temperatures further down across the alert belt.

From 10 to 14 December, Rajasthan is likely to see pristine blue skies and bone-dry air, the kind that turns mornings and nights razor-sharp even as the sun offers fleeting warmth at midday. On Monday, Sikar awoke under a gauzy layer of fog, its early hours pierced by bitter winds before the sunshine briefly soothed the landscape. But the IMD warns: the worst of the cold is yet to come, with minimum temperatures set to fall further on 10 and 11 December.

In Hadoti, the weather swung like a pendulum — golden warmth by day, an icy sweep by night — a pattern expected to continue through the week with only minor temperature shifts and little promise of sustained relief.

As the state marches into a deeper winter spell, the Health Department has issued an appeal for vigilance, especially for children, the elderly, and those living with chronic ailments. Officials advise layering up during dawn and dusk, and taking timely precautions against seasonal illnesses that thrive in this capricious, cold-bitten season.

With IANS inputs