Churu, a district in Rajasthan near the Thar desert, is known for its extreme temperature variations, recording both some of the lowest and highest temperatures in the region. The climate changes here reflect broader environmental and global warming trends impacting the area.

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• Churu recorded a chilling 1.1°C on December 18, 2021, and minus 1.5°C last year—the lowest December temperature in 46 years.
• Historically, Churu’s temperature dropped to as low as minus 4.6°C on December 28, 1973, and minus 1.4°C in 2011; ice has been observed during December and January.
• Contrastingly, Churu also recorded extreme heat with temperatures soaring to 50.8°C on June 1 and 2, 2019.
• Despite its proximity to the hot Thar desert, Churu’s temperature extremes are influenced by a mix of environmental factors.
• Experts attribute climate change in Churu to environmental pollution, concretisation, deforestation, increased vehicle use, and growing industrialization.
• Global warming is intensified locally due to reduced green cover and increased heat-trapping pollutants.
• Rajasthan’s State Action Plan on Climate Change links rising greenhouse gas emissions from energy, agriculture, and land use to these extreme weather events.
• Villagers note worsening heat conditions; once tolerable without fans or coolers, now these are necessities.
• Churu’s climate shifts are part of a larger, complex global chain of climate change effects, requiring coordinated environmental action.