Lucknow records coldest November day in 15 years

LUCKNOW: The city recorded the coldest October in past one decade this year. A similar trend continues in November. The minimum temperature dropped to 7.1 degrees Celsius, four degrees below normal, on Wednesday. Besides recording the lowest temperature this winter, the day was also the coldest in November in last 15 years. Najibabad in the state recorded 5.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest minimum temperature in the plains during last 24 hours.The weather office said similar conditions will continue in the city and the state in the coming days.
The winter has arrived early this year. In fact, the minimum temperature of 7.1 degrees Celsius recorded in the city on Wednesday was lower than the normal 7.4 degrees Celsius temperature set for December. On November 23, the minimum temperature in the city had dropped to 7.4 degrees Celsius. Lucknow's minimum temperature has been 1-4 degrees below normal in October and November this year. The drop in the mercury is mainly due to snowfall and rainfall in the hill regions on account of the western disturbance over Jammu and Kashmir. The winds coming from the snow-fed areas are bringing chill to the plains, leading to drop in both maximum and minimum temperatures in the city and state.
State Met director JP Gupta said the hill region of the north has been lashed by a steady stream of western disturbances this year, leading to early snowfall. As a result, he added, the northwesterly winds coming from the hills have brought the chill to the plains. Temperatures comparatively remain high during snowfall, he said. However, he added, the chill increases when snowfall ceases and the western disturbance fizzles out. He said the cold weather in the state at present is because of the chill left behind by the previous western disturbance. "Now, another western disturbance has reached Jammu & Kashmir. For next two days, the minimum temperature will rise by a couple of degrees but decline again after snowfall is over," Met director said.
There is also a possibility of light rain/thundershower at one or two places in west UP on Thursday. During last 24 hours, while day temperatures were between 24-28 degrees Celsius, night temperatures were between 5-12 degrees Celsius. According to weather office, minimum temperature in Kanpur was 7.5 degrees Celsius, four degrees below normal, Allahabad recorded 10 degrees Celsius and Varanasi -- 10.1 degrees Celsius. After Najibabad, the coldest district in the state was Muzaffarnagar with minimum temperature 6.1 degrees Celsius followed by Rae Bareli with 6.8 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperature in Agra was 7.6 degrees Celsius and Fatehgarh 7.8 degrees Celsius.