Mount Abu, the lone hill station in Rajasthan, is experiencing an unusually severe cold spell as a winter cold wave grips northern and northwest India, pushing temperatures to around minus 7 °C — the coldest this season so far.

Contrary to the typical trend of winter easing after Basant Panchami, this year’s cold has intensified. Overnight freezes have turned ponds and water bodies into solid ice, while frost and frozen dew carpet grasslands in rural pockets such as Salgaon and the Chand Mari firing range. Residents and tourists alike have been seen huddling around roadside bonfires, sipping hot beverages and bundled up in heavy woollens to cope with the biting chill.

Forecasters attribute the deep freeze to a western disturbance and snowfall in the western Himalayas, which has pushed colder air southward into Rajasthan. While Mount Abu’s frost and ice create dramatic winter scenery, the intense cold has also made daily life challenging, with weak sunshine offering little relief even after mid-morning.

Across the state, night temperatures have dipped sharply, with several districts near freezing or below, highlighting the broad reach of this cold wave as it persists into the coming days.