Patna: Bihar is reeling under severe winter conditions as icy north-westerly winds continue to sweep across the state, intensifying the cold wave. On Sunday, dense fog enveloped Patna and most parts of Bihar, leading to bone-chilling cold throughout the day.
In the state capital, Patna, the day began with thick fog and cloud cover. Although mild sunshine appeared briefly in the afternoon, it lacked warmth and disappeared within half an hour as clouds returned, keeping the city under a cold blanket. Cold north-westerly winds blew at speeds of 11 to 15 kmph across Patna and several other districts, further lowering the felt temperature.
The Meteorological Centre has issued an orange alert for cold day conditions and dense fog in 22 districts of Bihar for Monday. According to the department, these districts are unlikely to receive sunshine during the day, and minimum temperatures may remain significantly below normal.
Cold wave to persist till New Year
Weather officials have warned that the cold wave in Bihar is likely to persist till the New Year. Cold day conditions are expected to prevail in several districts over the next four to five days. Minimum temperatures may drop further by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius during this period.
Moderate to dense fog is likely to continue during morning hours, while daytime sunshine will remain weak. The impact of the cold is expected to be more severe in north and eastern Bihar districts.
Cold grips districts; Muzaffarpur coldest
On Sunday, Patna recorded a maximum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius, up by 1.2 degrees from Saturday. However, cold day conditions prevailed in several districts including Patna, Muzaffarpur, Valmikinagar, Samastipur, Siwan, Saharsa, Supaul, Darbhanga and Purnea.
Gaya witnessed extremely dense fog, with visibility dropping to less than 50 metres. According to the Meteorological Centre, Muzaffarpur emerged as the coldest location on Sunday, recording a maximum temperature of 13.2 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 12.1 degrees Celsius, leaving a narrow difference of just 1.1 degrees between the two.
The lowest minimum temperature in the state was recorded in Rajgir at 6.8 degrees Celsius, though the maximum temperature there remained relatively higher at 17.6 degrees Celsius.
Patna weather outlook
In Patna, dense fog is expected to persist during morning hours, leading to poor visibility. The cold north-westerly winds will continue to cause severe chill in the capital. The minimum temperature is likely to hover between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius. Cloudy conditions during the day may prevent sunshine, keeping the cold intense throughout the day.
Impact of snowfall in hilly regions
Meteorological experts have attributed the harsh winter conditions in Bihar to continuous snowfall in north-west India and the Himalayan regions, along with an active western disturbance. These systems are allowing cold air to flow into Bihar, resulting in a steady fall in minimum temperatures. Weather officials have ruled out any immediate relief from the cold in the coming days.
