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© unknownIndia meteorological dapet satellite, Feb. 16th
Day temperatures dropped in most part of the state on Wednesday following a western disturbance (WD) over hilly areas in northern India, which caused mild to heavy rainfall in the state since Tuesday night.

Patna Met director Animesh Chanda said that a cyclonic circulation has formed over Bihar and its neighbourhood areas. This has resulted in rainfall activity plummeting the mercury on Wednesday.

Many districts of the state like Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, Araria, Purnia, Supaul etc received good rainfall, while other districts, including the capital, recorded 0.6 to 2.1 mm rainfall.

The Met department here has also issued warnings of thunder squall with a wind speed of 45 km to 55 per hour in many parts of Bihar in the next 48 hours.

A severe hailstorm accompanied by moderate to heavy rain lashed several parts of Araria and Purnia districts around mid-day on Wednesday causing extensive damages to the standing crops. Several panchayats under Raniganj, Bhargama and Jokihat blocks in Araria, and Srinagar, Jalalgarh and Kasba blocks in Purnia were badly hit when a severe hailstorm ripped through on Wednesday afternoon.

The cold breeze during the day led to drop in the maximum temperatures also. Met office sources, however, added that there will be no significant change in weather conditions on Thursday. The Met had earlier predicted about temperatures coming back to normal standards by this week. But the sudden disturbance over hilly areas brought in cold air from the mountains to the plains. Though this disturbance will weaken in the next 48 hours, a fresh WD would affect the western Himalayan region from Saturday again said IMD sources from Pune.

The winter this year started on a warmer note in December, but temperatures were back to normal towards the month end. January, however, started on a chilly note and biting cold prevailed till January 15 when day temperatures dropped up to 10 degrees Celsius at many places in the state. It was followed by extremely low night temperatures. However, for past 10 days, maximum temperatures were keeping high. Even on Monday, the maximum temperature in the city was over 30 degrees Celsius, 5-7 degrees above normal. Lack of winter rain so far in Bihar has been a major cause of concern. Light rains at this point of time are good for the wheat crop, says agriculture scientist B K Roy.