North-westerly winds up the chill quotient in state

It was pretty cold in several parts of the state, including Ranchi and Bokaro, on Tuesday with below-normal temperatures hovering between 8 degrees and 10 degrees.

Capital Ranchi, which is in central Jharkhand, recorded a minimum temperature of 10.1°C for the second consecutive day on Tuesday. Ranchi’s reading was two notches below normal.

In Bokaro steel city, the minimum temperature dipped to 8.6°C, seven notches below normal.

Ramgarh and Gumla recorded similarly low readings. On Monday, apart from Bokaro, the two other districts – Ramgarh and Gumla – had recorded minimum temperatures of over 9°C.

Daltonganj, the Palamau headquarters, and several other places, including Chaibasa in West Singhbhum district and Simdega, notched minimum readings of 10.6 °C on Tuesday.

Jamshedpur and its adjoining areas recorded around 12 degree Celsius for the second consecutive day. Tuesday’s minimum reading in steel city was two notches below normal.

Weathermen attributed the sharp fall in minimum readings to the dominating north-westerly winds. “The crisp and dry north wind has resulted in abrupt fall in night temperatures,” said Abhishek Anand, deputy Director of Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

However, weathermen said the chill will be short-lived as Jharkhand will be under the influence of two weather systems after the next 24 hours.

The two weather systems – cyclonic storm Nivar and a western disturbance passing through Northern parts of the country – will impact Jharkhand’s weather on November 26 and 27.

“The cyclone and the passing western disturbances would result in cloud formation over Jharkhand. We are expecting light rains over northern Jharkhand on Thursday, November 26 and light showers and overcast conditions over central and southern Jharkhand on Friday, November 27,” said Anand.