Northwesterly winds bring down mercury

PATNA: Cold northwesterly winds coming from the Himalayan region in north India, including Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, have resulted in slight chill in the air in most parts of the state, including Patna.

Minimum temperature in Patna plunged to 14.5 degrees C on Thursday, two notches lower than normal.

Gaya remained the coldest place in the state on Thursday morning as the minimum temperature in the holy town was registered at 11.5 degrees C, four notches below normal. Minimum temperature in Purnia, on the other hand, was recorded at 14.5 degrees C, two notches lower than normal.

According to meteorological experts, higher reaches in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand received heavy snowfall for almost four days from Friday, resulting in sudden dip in temperature in the northern region.

“Snowfall in the higher reaches of Himalayas at this time of the year leads to flow of cold northwesterly winds towards the Gangetic plain. The northwesterly winds, which started setting in the region from around November 10, are expected to dominate the lower level of atmosphere by the beginning of December, paving way for chilly winter conditions,” said Pradhan Parth Sarthi, secretary of Bihar chapter of the Indian Meteorological Society.

The winter usually remains at its peak in the state between December 20 and January 15. Last year, however, the minimum temperature started getting recorded below 13 degrees mark only after the second week of December.

“The drop in temperature around this time of the year is normal. Minimum temperature in Patna is expected to hover around 15 degrees C over the next four to five days,” said an official at Patna Meteorological Centre.