Patna: The cold weather has taken hold of Bihar, with Gaya experiencing a chilling minimum temperature of 5.3 degrees Celsius. Even the state capital, Patna, felt the winter chill as the mercury dropped to 8.3 degrees Celsius. Despite the cold nights, the daytime temperature in Patna increased to 22.1 degrees Celsius.
The drop in minimum temperatures has also led to a deterioration in the city’s air quality. The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 289, categorizing it as ‘poor,’ a significant rise from the 197 recorded the previous day. Monitoring stations across the city reported varying AQI levels, with Muradpur recording the highest at 394, followed by Samanpura (352), Rajbansi Nagar (280), Shikarpur (239), and Adalatganj (207).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that maximum temperatures will remain normal throughout January, while minimum temperatures are expected to stay above normal in most parts of the state. Above-average rainfall is anticipated for the month, coupled with a below-normal likelihood of cold waves.
Kumar Gaurav from the Patna Meteorological Centre reported that dry weather persisted across the state, with average maximum and minimum temperatures recorded at 17.5°C and 8.7°C, respectively. Dense fog was reported in Valmiki Nagar of West Champaran, while the rest of the state experienced light to moderate fog in the morning. A cyclonic circulation over northeastern Bihar is expected to maintain dry weather in the next 24 hours.
