IMD issues cold wave alert for 7 districts of Jharkhand, Gumla shivers at 6.6 degrees Celsius

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A cold wave alert has been issued for seven districts of Jharkhand with temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius or less recorded in many places across the state, IMD said on Monday.

A 'yellow alert' (be aware) has been issued for Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla and Simdega districts till 8.30 am on Tuesday.

On Monday morning, Gumla recorded the lowest minimum temperature at 6.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Lohardaga at 7.6 degrees Celsius. Ranchi shivered at 10.2 degrees Celsius, a drop of 2.9 degrees Celsius from the normal.

Khunti town recorded a minimum temperature of 7.8 degrees Celsius, while Latehar registered 8.6 degrees Celsius, Daltonganj 8.8 degrees Celsius and Seraikela-Kharswan 11.4 degrees Celsius.

The dip in the mercury was caused by northwesterly winds, the weather office said.

"Dry weather prevailed across the state. Cold wave conditions were also reported at isolated places in the western and central parts of the state in the last 24 hours," Ranchi Meteorological Centre's Deputy Director Abhishek Anand told PTI.

He said a partial relief from the dipping mercury is expected from Tuesday onwards due to the incursion of easterly winds, which will also bring some moisture from the Bay of Bengal, he added.

"The minimum temperature may rise by three to four degrees Celsius over the next three days and thereafter, there would be no large change in the subsequent two days," he added.