The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued warnings of severe cold wave conditions and dense fog over Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi through January 5, 2026. Rajasthan experienced some of its coldest days of the 2025-26 winter season, with temperatures in several districts — including Churu, Sikar, Bikaner, and Fatehpur — dropping to near or below zero degrees Celsius. Dense fog conditions significantly disrupted road transport, railway services, and air connectivity across northern India, with flight delays reported at Jaipur International Airport. The cold wave also raised concerns for vulnerable populations including daily wage labourers, homeless individuals, and the elderly, prompting state government activation of night shelters (raen baseras) and distribution of blankets in urban areas. For Rajasthan's agricultural sector, the cold wave and associated frost conditions raised concerns for winter crops (rabi crops) such as wheat, mustard, and gram — particularly in early-sown fields where frost damage to tender plants is most severe. However, IMD also noted that moderate cold and adequate winter fog (when it lifts by mid-morning) can be beneficial for wheat by promoting tillering. The IMD forecast reflected broader western disturbance patterns and Arctic air intrusion into the Indian subcontinent, a feature meteorologists note has become more intense in recent winters, raising questions about climate variability impacts on traditional crop calendars in Rajasthan.