JAIPUR: Heatwave conditions tightened their grip across Rajasthan on Thursday, with temperatures soaring above 40°C in most parts and crossing 42°C in several western districts, signalling an early and intense summer spell.Barmer remained hottest in the state, where a maximum temperature of 42.9°C was recorded. The Met office, however, said that on Friday some places in Jaipur, Bharatpur and Bikaner divisions are likely to have thundershowers.Barmer was followed by Jaisalmer, where a maximum temperature of 42.8°C was recorded, Churu 42.4°C, Bikaner, Phalodi and Sriganganagar 42°C each, Jodhpur 41.7°C, Kota 41.6°C, Vanasthali 40.6°C, Bhilwara and Alwar 40.4°C each, Sikar 40.2°C and a maximum temperature of 40.0°C was recorded at Pali.The desert belt continued to experience dry and scorching conditions accompanied by hot winds.People in Jaipur woke up to a comparatively warmer morning with a minimum temperature of 24.4°C, almost 1.1 degrees above the normal notch, was recorded. It was followed by a scorching afternoon as a maximum of around 39.8°C was recorded in the city. During the afternoon, many areas in the city witnessed less flow of traffic as people confined themselves to their offices and homes.Jaipur Met office further stated that heat wave conditions are likely to intensify, especially in western Rajasthan, due to clear sky. Many places in the Bikaner and Jodhpur divisions are likely to witness maximum temperatures above 40.0°C in the coming days.However, in its forecast, Met office, Jaipur, said that on Friday some places in the Jaipur, Bikaner and Bharatpur divisions are likely to get mild showers. Cloudy conditions are likely to prevail in several districts, including Jaipur, Dausa, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Alwar, Bikaner, Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bharatpur divisions of the state. On the other hand, mercury is likely to go up further in western Rajasthan, especially in Phalodi, Barmer and Jaisalmer districts of the state in the next couple of days.
