Jamshedpur, Dec. 16: IMD’s Ranchi Meteorological Centre has predicted that the minimum temperature in several parts of the state, especially in Singhbhum-Kolhan region will fall by at least one to two degrees in the next 72 Â hours.
The IMD observatory in Jamshedpur today recorded a minimum temperature of 11 degree Celsius against yesterday’s 11.6 degrees. Today’s minimum at the steel city was one notch above normal. Neighbouring Chaibasa, the headquarters of West Singhbhum district too recorded a minimum temperature of 12.6 degree Celsius today. Yesterday’s Chaibasa had notched a minimum of around 10 degrees.
In several districts like Koderma, Hazaribagh, Giridih, Deoghar, Dumka and Simdega, the minimum temperature remained between 9.5 and 11 degree Celsius.
Jamshedpur experienced the biggest fall in minimum temperature in the past 24 hours. ” The mercury is expected to drop by another one or two degrees in the next couple of days,” said a duty officer at IMD’s Ranchi Met Centre.
“The cold wind from the North will continue to blow till the time the high pressure belt persists. The north-westerly wind which is prevailing over Jharkhand, will prompt night temperatures to dip by at least two degrees in the next 24-hours. The downward trend is expected to continue for the next couple of days,” he said.
The senior Met official said that the minimum temperatures will again witness a slight rise after the next couple of days before taking a plunge again. ” Winter is expected to be severe in the last week when the minimum temperatures would drop to seven degree Celsius in Ranchi and several other districts which are located on higher altitudes,” he said.
Statistics revealed that on December 31, 2007, the minimum temperature had dropped to five degree Celsius.
Though temperature in the city hovered between 10 to degrees Celsius and 12 degrees Celsius in the past week, it has reduced recently sending bitter chilling experiences to the people.
According to the local Meteorological department the Celsius normal would witness more dips in the days to come. Meanwhile, the city wore a virtually deserted look in the evening with most people preferring to stay indoors.
