AFTERtwo to three days of dense fog and overcast skies, the people of Sanskardhani received some relief on Monday as the sun remained visible throughout the day. The clear weather eased the intense cold to some extent and brought temporary comfort to residents. For the past three days, the city had been reeling under adverse weather conditions. Due to the impact of a western disturbance, thick cloud cover and dense fog prevailed, severely affecting daily life.

 

The cold wave and biting chill had an adverse affect on children, elderly and those already unwell. Considering the worsening conditions, the district administration was forced to declare a two-day holiday for schools. According to the Weather Department, although the skies have cleared now, the cold is expected to intensify further. A significant drop of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius in the minimum temperature is likely in the coming days.

 

Spokesman of the Department said subtropical western jet stream winds are currently blowing at a speed of around 240 km per hour at an altitude of about 12.6 km above mean sea level over north-west India. Continuous snowfall in the northern regions is also contributing to the changing weather pattern. As a result, cold northerly winds are expected to sweep across the State, particularly affecting cities in eastern Madhya Pradesh leading to cold wave conditions.

 

On Monday, Jabalpur recorded a minimum temperature of 9 degrees Celsius, one degree below normal, while the maximum temperature stood at 20.4 degrees Celsius. On the same day last year, the minimum temperature was 8 degrees Celsius and the maximum was 22.8 degrees Celsius. The Weather Department has forecast that cold wave conditions may persist for 15 to 20 days in January.

 

The spell of severe cold is expected to begin in the second week of the month and continue till the end. The department has advised special precautions for young children, elderly and people suffering from illnesses to protect themselves from the cold in the days ahead.