Could Rajasthan's Heatwave Finally Be Eased by Dust Storms and Rain?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Dust storms and rain provided relief from the heat wave in Rajasthan.
- Wind speeds exceeded 40 km/h in affected regions.
- Rainfall varied, with Kaman recording the highest at 77 mm.
- Strong winds caused damage to trees and solar panels.
- Warnings for more thunderstorms and rain were issued by the Meteorological Department.
Jaipur, May 2 (NationPress) Rajasthan, which had been suffering through an extreme heat wave, received a much-needed break on Friday as dust storms and rainfall swept through various regions of the state. Dust storms impacted areas including Jaipur, Bharatpur, Alwar, and Jhunjhunu, with wind speeds surpassing 40 km/h.
The powerful winds caused the collapse of trees and solar panels in parts of Jaipur.
The Meteorological Department has issued alerts for thunderstorms, rain, and potential hailstorms across most districts, with the exception of the southern districts of Pratapgarh, Dungarpur, and Banswara.
In Jaipur, strong winds uprooted trees on Ajmer Road and in the Khatipura area, causing traffic disruptions late Thursday night. Solar panels in the Harmara locality also suffered damage due to fierce gusts.
Data from the Meteorological Department indicates that Kaman in Bharatpur recorded the highest rainfall in the state over the past 24 hours, totaling 77 mm.
Other significant rainfall amounts include 31 mm in Sam (Jaisalmer), 20.1 mm in Pilani (Jhunjhunu), 17 mm in Rajgarh (Alwar), 14 mm in Jaisalmer city, 11.5 mm in Ganganagar, and 10 mm in Devikot (Jaisalmer).
Regions such as Jaipur, Alwar, Dausa, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Hanumangarh, and Bhilwara experienced rainfall ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm.
On Thursday evening, thunderstorms along with rain were reported in Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Bhilwara, and Pali.
In Jaisalmer, strong winds brought down power poles, disrupting the electricity supply.
Prior to the storms and rain on Thursday, temperatures remained exceedingly high in several regions of the state.
Jaisalmer recorded the highest temperature at 46.7 degrees Celsius, which is 5.3 degrees Celsius above normal. Following closely were Barmer (46.1 degrees Celsius), Chittorgarh (45 degrees Celsius), Bikaner (44.9 degrees Celsius), Phalodi (44.2 degrees Celsius), Churu (43.5 degrees Celsius), Ganganagar (43.3 degrees Celsius), Kota (43.2 degrees Celsius), and Udaipur (43 degrees Celsius).
Jaipur registered a maximum of 40.8 degrees Celsius under clear skies with slight humidity, while the minimum temperature was 28.2 degrees Celsius on Thursday.