As Jharkhand's picnic spots and tourist destinations gear up for a surge of visitors during the New Year weekend, the state's weather office has issued a crucial safety advisory. The Ranchi branch of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday sounded a dense fog alert across eleven districts, urging motorists and transport authorities to maintain high levels of caution.
IMD's Yellow Alert and Affected Districts
The IMD's evening weather bulletin placed eleven districts under a yellow alert for dense fog. The districts on alert are Garhwa, Palamu, Chatra, Hazaribag, Koderma, Giridih, Deoghar, Dumka, Pakur, Godda, and Sahibganj. Scientists at the weather office stated that the fog cover is likely to persist until Monday, significantly impacting road, rail, and air traffic due to severely reduced visibility.
Abhishek Anand, a scientist at IMD Ranchi, provided detailed insights. "The fog cover will be the thickest during the morning hours and is expected to reduce visibility to 200 metres or even lower over the next 72 hours," he said. He added that while the alert is specific to these eleven districts, other parts of Jharkhand are also likely to experience shallow to moderate fog in the mornings in the coming days.
Temperature Drop and Advisory for Residents
Alongside the fog warning, the IMD has forecast a drop in minimum temperatures across the state. From Sunday onwards, the minimum temperature is likely to fall by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. This combination of dense fog and colder conditions has raised concerns for farmers, as prolonged exposure could adversely affect standing crops.
The weather office has issued a clear advisory, urging residents, especially drivers, to remain extremely cautious while travelling in the morning. Authorities have also directed railway and transport officials to stay alert to manage any disruptions. The advisory follows a period of generally dry weather with shallow to moderate fog across Jharkhand in the past 24 hours from January 1.
Recent Temperature Trends Across Jharkhand
Interestingly, despite the impending cold, minimum temperatures saw a slight rise in various parts of the state in the last 24 hours. Key recordings on Friday included:
- Ranchi: 9.4°C, a rise of 1.5°C from Thursday.
- Jamshedpur: 11.6°C, marking an increase of 1.6°C.
- Daltonganj: 7.7°C, witnessing a 2°C increase.
- Bokaro: 9.1°C, which is 1.6°C more than the previous day.
- Chaibasa: 10°C, a 1.4°C rise from Thursday.
Gumla recorded the coldest night in the state at 6.4°C. However, scientists reiterate that the thick morning fog will be the primary challenge, pulling visibility down to 200 metres or below, creating hazardous conditions for all forms of travel during the holiday period.
