Apart from North India, cold wave has intensified its grip over several parts of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and northeast Madhya Pradesh also. As a result, minimum temperatures recorded on Sunday morning were way below normal by four to six degrees.
Pachmarhi in northeast Madhya Pradesh recorded minimum temperature at 1.4°C, which is six degrees below normal, Khajuraho witnessed 2.4°C, seven degrees below normal, Hoshangabad 6.8°C, five degrees below normal and Betul 6°C, again four degrees normal.
In Jharkhand, Giridih recorded 5.8°C, which is seven degrees below normal, while Bokaro observed 7.5°C, five degrees below normal. Similarly in Chhattisgarh, Bilaspur recorded minimum of 8.8°C, four degrees below normal, Durg 6.9°C, five degrees below normal and Jagdalpur 6.4°C, four degrees below normal.
According to Skymet Meteorology Division in India, the reason behind the prevailing conditions is the semi-permanent anti cyclonic circulation in east Rajasthan and west Madhya Pradesh that has shifted towards the southern parts of Madhya Maharashtra and Gujarat due to which the cold wave conditions are prevailing in the region.
Similar weather conditions were witnessed over Vidarbha and Marathwada region on Friday, where minimum temperatures were also hovering below normal by five to eight degrees.
As per the latest forecast, cold wave conditions are expected to prevail till the next 24 hours and improving thereafter. Such conditions are usually not observed in the region very frequently. And if they do happen it does not last for longer periods.
