PATNA: Though the state is in the grip of cold wave conditions, Patna meteorological office on Sunday predicted pleasant weather and bright sunshine on January 1. However, the minimum temperature is likely to be between 5 to 6 degrees Celsius next week due to northwesterly winds and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. But, the maximum temperature is expected to remain around 22 to 24 degrees Celsius, a Met bulletin said.“There is no possibility of rain on January 1 as there is no western disturbance which usually leads to the formation of cyclonic activity in the Arabian Sea and cause rains. However, the northwesterly winds blowing over the city may bring down the minimum temperature further by 1 degree Celsius. The minimum temperature in Patna was 6.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday,” a duty officer in Patna Met office said and added that Gaya remained the coldest place in Bihar with a minimum temperature of 2.7 degrees Celsius. Cold wave conditions prevailed in Gaya and Bhagalpur districts.He said people would feel cold despite sunshine because northwesterly winds are blowing over Patna at 6 to 10km per hour speed. The wind speed is expected to remain similar on January 1, he added.Though there will be no significant change in weather conditions next week, any change in wind system over Patna in the next 48 hours would bring down the minimum temperature further. Fog conditions are unlikely in Patna over the next seven days, an IMD official said.Cold wave conditions are declared at a place when the normal minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius or above but the actual temperature is recorded at 7 degrees Celsius or even lower.The IMD bulletin said cold wave conditions occurred in isolated pockets over the Gangetic West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Saurashtra and Maharashtra. The western disturbances lying over north Pakistan and its neighbourhood are likely to affect the western Himalayan region from January 1, 2019.The IMD bulletin was a good news for many residents who have planned to enjoy the New Year outside their homes. Swati Sinha of Anisabad said, “We hope weather will remain good for outdoor activities. We like to visit parks and restaurants to celebrate the New Year.”

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