Jaipur/Jhunjhunu/Bhilwara: A sudden spell of rain accompanied by hailstorms swept across several parts of Rajasthan Tuesday, damaging standing crops and bringing temporary relief from the rising heat. Despite a marginal dip in temperatures across the state, Kota remained the hottest, recording a maximum temperature of 37.9 degrees Celsius, according to the meteorological (MeT) dept. Districts, including Jodhpur, Ajmer, Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu and Sikar, reported hailstorms, raising concerns among farmers as wheat, mustard and gram crops are nearing harvest. In Tonk district, strong winds and hail lashed Malpura and Lamba Hari Singh areas, causing extensive damage to both standing and harvested crops lying in fields. In Lamba Hari Singh police station area in Tonk district, two women — a married woman and a young girl — were injured during the hailstorm. They were rushed to Kekri Hospital by family members for treatment. The sudden weather change disrupted normal life in several areas, with gusty winds, rain and hailstorm affecting movement and daily activities. Farmers were seen rushing to cover their harvested wheat with tarpaulins to minimise losses. In many places, strong winds uprooted trees and damaged electricity poles, leading to temporary power disruptions. Officials have advised farmers to report crop damage through toll-free helplines or by contacting local agriculture dept offices to seek compensation. In Jaipur, residents woke up to cloudy skies, with light and scattered showers reported in parts of the city during the afternoon. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 22.6 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 34 degrees Celsius. The MeT office has also indicated the possibility of mild dust storms Wednesday. The weather department attributed the sudden change to an active western disturbance, which is expected to influence weather conditions across Rajasthan till the first week of April, though its impact may gradually weaken. Rainfall ranging between 10 mm and 30 mm was recorded at several places. Hailstorms were also reported from Fatehpur (Sikar), Rajgarh-Ratangarh (Churu), Luni (Jodhpur) and Nasirabad (Ajmer). In Khairthal-Tijara, hail continued for nearly 20 minutes, blanketing fields in white and worsening crop losses. The shift in weather led to a drop of 2 degrees Celsius to 6 degrees Celsius in daytime temperatures across cities like Jaipur, Sikar, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Alwar and Kota.
