Patna: A thick blanket of fog and a cloudy sky engulfed Patna and several other regions of Bihar on Tuesday, leading to a significant drop in daytime temperatures. The state capital experienced a sharp decline in its maximum temperature from 23°C to 16.2°C, which is five degrees below normal. This drop is attributed to the influence of cold and dry westerly winds.
The Patna Meteorological Centre has predicted no immediate respite from the chilly weather, forecasting a further dip in minimum temperatures by 2-3°C across the state by Wednesday. A yellow alert has been issued for dense fog over the next three days, with a continued decline in maximum temperatures expected.
Explaining the prevailing weather conditions, Kumar Gaurav, a scientist at the Patna Meteorological Centre, said, “The current cold spell is caused by a western disturbance and rainfall in northern India. Dry winds blowing from the snow-clad mountains into Bihar have intensified the cold wave conditions. Over the past 24 hours, wind speeds have risen from 2-3 kmph to 8-10 kmph, which is likely to further lower minimum temperatures from Wednesday.”
He added that the strengthening westerly winds, coupled with the western disturbance, might clear the fog in some areas. However, the minimum temperature is expected to drop below 10°C in certain parts of Bihar.
The weather bulletin also noted that a cloudy sky would persist for another 3-4 days due to the impact of western disturbances and a cyclonic circulation over western Uttar Pradesh at lower atmospheric levels.
Among the cities, Chhapra recorded the lowest temperature in the state at 9.4°C on Tuesday, while Gopalganj registered the highest maximum temperature at 27.3°C. Patna’s minimum temperature was recorded at 13.9°C. For the coming days, maximum temperatures across Bihar are likely to range between 14°C and 18°C, while minimum temperatures will hover between 8°C and 12°C.
