Jamshedpur: The Steel City on Monday recorded the lowest temperature of the season with the mercury reducing to 7.6 degree Celsius. On Sunday the minimum temperature was 8.9 Today’s minimum readings in Jamshedpur were eight notches below normal. Statistics revealed that on December 31, 2007, the minimum temperature had dropped to five degree Celsius.
Though temperature in the city hovered between 8 degrees Celsius and 11 degrees Celsius in the past week it has reduced recently sending bitter chilling experiences to the people.
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 clustering around bonfires lit from dry woods, used tyres and even garbage to beat the cold.
“Though a slender sunshine gave respite in the afternoon but the cool breeze gave a chilling experience. Nights are becoming unbearable,” said an official.
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.
A former employee of Tata Steel residing at Sakchi is a regular morning walker who prefers to wake at 5 am and leave for his daily walk at 6 am. From December onwards, the time has been extended to 7:30 am or 8 am because it is still dark at 5 am and the chill does not allow him to get out of the blanket.
“Waking at 5 am when it is still dark does not make sense so the time has been delayed. One effect which it has is that the walk has to be shorter now because I get ready for the office too,” he said.
An official said that since dry icy continental winds are dominating the skies and moisture content is very low in the atmosphere. The temperature will fall in the coming days.
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 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.