State capital residents experienced a sudden chill in the air as the temperature dipped by nearly six degree Celsius in a span of three days. Saturday morning was the coldest morning as from 26.2 degree Celsius the temperature plummeted to 18 degree Celsius.
Apart from dip in temperature, the city also experienced its first foggy morning of the New Year on Saturday. Patna Meteorology Department has forecasted that the change in weather is due to western disturbance. The sudden revival in cold is due to dry westerly wind blowing from high-pressure area of North-West region towards the South-east region.
Patna Meteorology Department director Dr RK Giri said, “In the next 24hours slight rain and thundershowers is expected in Jharkhand and its adjoining areas. The sky will get clear by Tuesday morning with a dip in mercury around two degrees Celsius.” The bad weather has disrupted normal life rather severely. Due to fog, trains arriving from northern region were running late by fifty minutes to about four hour. Jammu Tavi Express which was expected to arrive in the morning at 9 am reached the station by 9 pm.
“Due to dense fog in different parts of the State the trains are running behind schedule. Once the sky gets clear it will start run on time,” said Ranchi Railway PRO Kalawanti. Moreover, beelines of patients suffering from various diseases due to chill weather are witnessed outside the hospitals. General Physician Dr Khaitan said, “Respiratory syncytial virus, strep throat, swollen lymph nodes, respiratory tract infections are the prevailing problems of the city residents. Every day I am attending around twenty patients.” Meanwhile, operation at the city airport was not much affected due to the early morning fog cover. On Saturday, the route of Air India 809 Delhi- Mumbai- Ranchi flight was diverted. The flight halted for about four hours at Kolkata airport before landing here. Birsa Munda Airport Director Raju Raghavendra Kumar said, “On Saturday some flights route were diverted due to poor visibility but from Sunday morning all the flights are running as per the schedule.”
Besides, the school will resume it classes as per the schedule from Monday onwards. District Commissioner (DC) Vinay Kumar Choubey said, “The schools will not remain close on the account of biting cold. As the weather is getting clear the plan of extending the holidays has been dropped.”