Jamshedpur, Dec. 17: The Steel City on Thursday recorded the minimum temperature with the mercury reducing to 11.2 degree Celsius.
Today’s minimum readings in Jamshedpur were one notch below normal. Statistics revealed that on December 31, 2007, the minimum temperature had dropped to five degree Celsius. Cloudy and rainfall of 1.1MM gave chilling experience to residents.
Though temperature in the city hovered between 11 degrees Celsius and 13 degrees Celsius in past week but it has reduced recently sending bitter chilling experiences to the people.
According to local Metrological department the Celsius, which is one degree below 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.
The officials said that similar conditions will continue to prevail in the city in the coming days. The poor people on the streets have been the worst hit by the cold wave. Footpath dwellers and poor were seen cluster around bonfires lit from dry woods, used tyres and even garbage to beat the cold.
Weatherman forecast that there will be no respite from the cold in the coming days. Significantly, both minimum and maximum temperatures were below normal all over the State.
Data available from the Patna Meteorological Office said that most parts of the state, including Jamshedpur, Ranchi and Daltonganj, were suffering with temperatures five degrees below normal.
The chill has intensified because of the strong flow of the dry north-westerly. The cold wave prevailing in large parts of northern India is also adding to the crispness of weather in Jharkhand.
The condition will stay for another 48 hours ,� said the duty officer at Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore, Calcutta.
The Alipore office also signalled at no reprieve from biting cold. �Analysis indicate formation of a low-pressure trough over south-west Bay of Bengal. If it advances towards the north-westerly side, it will also impact the day readings in Jharkhand,� the duty officer said.
The low-pressure trough can help in formation of clouds and bring down maximum temperatures. The chill being felt at night will then also be felt during the day.
Meanwhile as winter�s chill slowly set in with delightfully cool breezy nights, the families from the Tibetan colonies are in the city to provide warm comfort with their woollen wears. The sudden drop in temperature during the past few weeks has increased up the sale of woollen clothes and the Tibetans are a happy lot.
Around 15 families set up their stalls at the Golmuri during this time of the year to sell woollen wear like sweaters, shawls, stoles, pullovers, and sporty jackets in an enticing range of colours. �The response has gone up by 30 to 40 per cent in the past two weeks,� says Natalia, who has been coming to the city for the past 10 years.