Hailstorms Blanket Bikaner Fields as Western Disturbance Triggers Unseasonal Weather Across Rajasthan

Padampur in Sri Ganganagar district recorded the highest rainfall at 11.5 mm, while regions such as Bikaner also witnessed hailstorm activity. A forest officer shared a video on X showing a field in Arjunsar completely covered with ice after the hailstorm. In the visual, it appears the whole field is covered with a snow-like white blanket. He wrote: “Not Kashmir. This is Arjunsar in Bikaner district. View after yesterday’s hailstorm. Hope the government will take care of crop insurance.”

According to the local meteorological department, Bikaner recorded a maximum temperature of 30 degree celcius on Saturday, April 4, with a 31% chance of rain. More rain and hailstorm activity are likely in the city on Saturday, and again on April 7 and 8. A yellow warning has been issued. Bikaner is one of the driest regions in the country. Last year, the region recorded a maximum temperature of 40 degree celcius on April 3, as per Accuweather. This year, temperatures are lower, accompanied by spells of rain and hailstorms, indicating the impact of climate change.

The MeT office has forecast thunderstorms, gusty winds, and rainfall in the Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bharatpur, Kota, and Udaipur divisions on Friday, with the possibility of hailstorms at isolated locations, according to PTI. Similar weather conditions, including strong thunderstorms, gusty winds, and hailstorms at isolated locations, are expected on April 4 in parts of the Udaipur, Ajmer, Kota, Jaipur, and Bharatpur divisions, as well as the Shekhawati region, said the report.

Thunderstorm and rainfall activity is likely to reduce slightly on April 5 and 6. However, another strong western disturbance is expected to become active from April 7, which may again trigger intense thunderstorms and rainfall in parts of the state.

The IMD has predicted that isolated hailstorm activity is also likely over Jammu & Kashmir on April 3, 4, 7, and 8; over Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and East Rajasthan on April 3 and 4; over Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh on April 4; and over West Rajasthan on April 3.

The sudden shift in weather, marked by hailstorms in typically arid zones, underscores the growing variability in climatic conditions, raising concerns over agricultural losses and reinforcing demands for crop insurance support.