PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Dec 25: Winter tightened its grip across Jharkhand on Christmas Day, with cold wave conditions reported at several places and dense fog reducing visibility in parts of the state, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ranchi.
Ranchi recorded a maximum temperature of 22.6°C, slightly below normal, while the minimum settled at 10.6°C, marginally above the seasonal average.
Jamshedpur saw comparatively warmer daytime conditions with a maximum of 26°C, but nights remained chilly at 10.4°C.
Daltonganj recorded a maximum of 25.1°C and a minimum of 8.1°C.
Chaibasa emerged as the warmest location in the state, registering the highest maximum temperature of 27.4°C.
In sharp contrast, Gumla reported the coldest night, with the minimum temperature plunging to 4.0°C, where cold wave conditions were officially realised.
Dense fog affected visibility at Deoghar, where it dropped to 500 metres during the early morning hours, impacting normal movement.
No rainfall was recorded anywhere in the state during the past 24 hours.
Automated Weather Station data further highlighted the winter chill, with minimum temperatures hovering close to single digits in several districts including Hazaribagh (7.2°C), Latehar (7.9°C), Lohardaga (8.2°C) and Pakur (7.6°C).
The IMD has advised residents to take precautions against cold weather, especially during early morning and night hours, as winter conditions are likely to persist over the coming days.
