UditVani, Jamshedpur: Jharkhand woke up to a piercing winter chill on Thursday as Gumla emerged as the coldest place in the state, shivering at a near-freezing 0.8°C.
The latest Realised Weather Report issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Ranchi at 10 am confirmed the intensity of the cold wave sweeping across large parts of the state, especially the southern and western regions.
The dramatic fall in temperature highlighted how deeply winter has tightened its grip on Jharkhand.
IMD observations showed that cold wave conditions were realised in Daltonganj, Bokaro Thermal, Chaibasa, Gumla and Khunti, disrupting early morning routines and making daily life noticeably tougher for residents.
Khunti recorded a minimum temperature of 2.7°C, Daltonganj slipped to 3.7°C, and Bokaro dropped to 6.1°C, all well below their seasonal averages.
Even the state capital Ranchi remained cold at 9.0°C, slightly below normal, while Jamshedpur logged 9.3°C, continuing the chilly trend across the Kolhan region.
Although nights were bitterly cold, the days offered some relief. Chaibasa recorded the highest maximum temperature in the state at 28.0°C, which was 3.3°C above normal, followed by Daltonganj at 25.6°C and Jamshedpur at 25.2°C.
Ranchi remained relatively cooler during the day as well, with a maximum of 22.2°C, marginally below the usual level.
No rainfall was reported anywhere in Jharkhand during the past 24 hours, but the cold air led to reduced visibility in some areas.
The Jamshedpur Meteorological Observatory recorded the lowest visibility at 1,500 metres, pointing to morning haze and stagnant cold air, though no station officially reported fog.
Weather experts explained that the sharp fall in night temperatures is the result of clear skies, dry north-westerly winds and strong radiational cooling, a typical mid-January pattern that allows heat to escape rapidly from the ground after sunset.
These conditions, they said, are likely to persist for the next few days.
IMD officials have indicated that cold wave conditions may continue in pockets of Jharkhand, particularly in plateau and forested districts such as Gumla, Khunti, Latehar and Simdega. Nights are expected to remain very cold, while days will stay dry with mild sunshine.
People, especially the elderly, children and those living in rural or open areas, have been advised to limit exposure to the cold during early morning and late-night hours, keep themselves properly warm and take precautions against cold-related illnesses.
With Gumla plunging to 0.8°C, Jharkhand has once again experienced one of the harshest mornings of this winter, a stark reminder that the coldest phase of the season is far from over.
