Hyderabad: Mercury dips to season low

Hyderabad: Hyderabad woke up shivering on Tuesday, recording the coldest day this season with the temperature dipping to 12.5º Celcius. This is the second time the mercury has fallen below 12ºC after December 11 when the city recorded 12.7ºC.

December started on a slightly warm note, with the first 10 days posting a minimum temperature in the 18-19ºC range, above normal for this time of the year, before settling at the 14-16ºC level.

Met officials attribute the sudden drop to a change in wind pattern. The state is receiving sea winds from north/northeasterly direction, which are generally cold and dry. “The drop in temperatures will last for a week. If it falls 5ºC below normal, then a cold wave warning will be issued,” said IMD regional director Y.K. Reddy.

Hyderabad recorded colder days last year with the lowest at 10.9ºC on December 22. The all-time lowest was 7.1 degrees on December 14, 1966.

A report from Vizag said weather may spoil the year-end festivities if a low pressure which is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal around December 25 intensifies.