Gaya feels the chill at 7.8 degrees Celsius

PATNA: The winter season finally seems to have started making its presence felt in Bihar with minimum temperature plunging below 10 degrees C at many places. The average minimum temperature in the state was in the range of 9-11 degrees C on Tuesday.
At 9.2 degrees C, the minimum temperature in Patna continued to plunge for the third consecutive day on Tuesday.According to Patna Meteorological Centre, Gaya was the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of 7.8 degrees C, two notches lower than the normal for the day.
Maximum temperature has also plunged over the last few days. It was recorded at 24.2 degrees C at Patna and 23.8 degrees C at Gaya on Tuesday. Aarti Gupta, an official at Patna Meteorological Centre, said the maximum temperature in the state remained in the range of 24-26 degrees C.
Since minimum temperatures invariably take a dip around the last week of December, people can brace for colder days and nights this fortnight.
“A western disturbance is expected to hit western Himalayan region on the night of December 15. Though it is not expected to hit Bihar, the cold winds coming from it are likely to bring the temperature further down. Thus, the minimum temperature is expected to plunge by 2-3 notches from December 16,” said Sanjay Kumar, a meteorologist at Patna Meteorological Centre.
He said the prevailing sub-10 chills at Patna and several other places, particularly in south-west Bihar, are owing to cold north-westerly winds blowing in the region from last few days.
“Places in south-west Bihar, such as Gaya, Aurangabad, Rohtas and Bhabhua are getting direct north-westerly winds leading to plunge in the mercury,” Sanjay said.
Though mercury continues to plummet, the weathermen said extreme cold conditions, like cold wave or cold day, are still to be witnessed in the region. “As per long-term climate data, cold wave or cold day along with dense foggy conditions is normally witnessed in the region from the last week of December. Such extreme winter weather conditions are mostly result of direct impact of western disturbances,” Sanjay said.