A yellow alert for a cold wave has been issued by the meteorological department for 13 districts in Jharkhand, signaling an impending period of intense cold. This advisory, released on Tuesday, covers a wide swathe of the state, including western areas like Palamu, Garhwa, Latehar, and Chatra. Central Jharkhand districts such as Ranchi, Ramgarh, Bokaro, Khunti, Gumla, Hazaribagh, Koderma, and Dhanbad are also included in the alert. The forecast suggests a possibility of ‘cold day’ conditions developing in the northwestern and northern central parts of Jharkhand. Residents should also anticipate dense fog, particularly during the early morning and evening hours in the northern regions. Tuesday began with clear skies and considerable chill in Ranchi and its vicinity, while fog was prevalent across other districts during the late night and early morning, impacting visibility even in humid zones of Ranchi.
The mercury dipped significantly in some areas over the last 24 hours, with the highest temperature recorded at 26.8°C in Chaibasa and the lowest at 2.6°C in Gumla. On Tuesday, Ranchi recorded a maximum temperature of 24.3°C and a minimum of 5.4°C. Jamshedpur observed temperatures of 23.4°C (max) and 8.6°C (min). Daltonganj registered 16°C (max) and 5°C (min). Bokaro’s temperatures were 21.6°C (max) and 7.1°C (min). Chaibasa recorded a high of 26.8°C and a low of 9.2°C. Khunti saw a maximum of 25.5°C and a minimum of 3.7°C. Lohardaga’s temperatures were 23.4°C (max) and 6°C (min). Latehar recorded 22.5°C (max) and 4.6°C (min). Seraikela’s maximum temperature was 24.7°C, with a minimum of 7.1°C.