PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, March 3: Mothball your woollens as the season of chill (winter) has said farewell to Jharkhand.
As predicted by weathermen, after a prolonged stay winter 2023 retreated from the state.
“We were expecting withdrawal of the season around this time of the season this year and that has happened. Maximum and minimum temperatures will continue to witness an upward trend with changing wind patterns,” said Abhishek Anand, the head of Ranchi Meteorological Centre
In meteorological parlance, winter is gauged by a minimum temperature constant below 13°C. Data suggests that in most parts of the state, night readings have shot up by two to three degrees above normal. Maximum temperatures too have witnessed a sharp rise, giving the feel of summer.
Capital Ranchi for the last two days recorded a minimum of 16.9°C, two notches above normal, while steel city Jamshedpur was warmer at 18°C, again two degrees above normal. Daltonganj, the Palamau headquarters, recorded around 16 °C, two points above normal.
Similarly, the maximum temperature in Jamshedpur and Daltonganj rose to over 35°C, which was four degrees above normal. Ranchi’s day reading was around 33°C, four points above normal. Daltonganj, Bokaro, Ramgarh, Latehar, Deoghar and Dumka too climbed the Celsius ladder.
Weathermen in Patna echoed Ranchi and said winter had left Jharkhand. “The wind blowing over the state indicates cold days are over and summer is on the threshold,” said a senior Met official.
Weathermen said there has been an above-normal rise in sea surface temperatures in the Bay of Bengal owing to the El Nino effect.
A senior Met analyst hinted at a lengthy and severe summer ahead.
“Hot days are expected to continue from now till June-end. But, climate can be unpredictable too. Frequent Nor’westers may tame the Celsius,” he added.
