At 5.1°C, Jharsuguda temperature slips to 73-year low

Bhubaneswar: Jharsuguda town on Tuesday recorded 5.1°C, a record lowest temperature during Jan in last 73 years, said scientist and head of regional IMD centre, Manorama Mohanty.

The last time such a low temperature was recorded in 1953.This sharp fall in night temperature in the town was also the day’s highest 6.7°C drop compared to normal in the state.At least 12 more towns were shivering at below 10°C in the state during the day. City recorded minimum of 12.9°C, two degree celsius drop from normal. IMD forecast said there would be no relief from such cold condition for next three to four days. It has issued cold wave warning likely to continue in six districts — Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Koraput, Angul, Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur, during next three days from Wednesday.

There would also be dense fog warning to continue in four districts on Wednesday.Mohanty, head of regional IMD centre, said change in wind pattern from north-easterly to northerly would support for drop in night temperature in the state during next three to four days.An IMD bulletin said minimum temperature observed a marked fall by about 4°C to 6°C at one or two places and appreciable fall by about 2°C to 4°C at a few places in the state. On Tuesday, dense to very dense fog reduced visibility to 50 metres and below in Boudh, Nayagarh, Koraput and Phulbani towns.