Cold Wave Hits Bihar as First Snowfall in Hills Raises Temperatures; Schools in Gaya and Jamui Close for Safety

The cold wave is getting stronger in Bihar as the first snowfall of the season happened in the hilly regions on Sunday. This snowfall has caused the temperature to drop further in the plains of Bihar. The snowfall was first seen in Jammu and Kashmir, and it also affected the high peaks of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Now, the cold weather is being felt across North India, including Bihar.

For the next 24 hours, the Meteorological Department has issued a cold day alert for 18 districts like Gaya, Nalanda, Samastipur, Madhubani, and Patna. In Patna, which is the capital, the cold has increased due to westerly winds and ongoing fog. People are feeling quite chilly even during the daytime as the sun hasn’t shone for three days.

Recently, the minimum temperature has dropped by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius in many western and central districts of Bihar. In other areas, the temperature has not changed much. The weather is expected to remain dry for the next week, but cold day conditions may continue in parts of Gaya, Nalanda, Arwal, and Jehanabad over the next day. Dense fog is also expected in some north-western districts like Sitamarhi and Shivhar.

The Meteorological Department has warned that the cold wave will stick around for at least the next three days, with dense fog affecting north-west, north-central, and south-west parts of the state. Gaya recorded the lowest temperature at 8 degrees Celsius. Due to the extreme cold, schools up to class five are closed in Gaya and Jamui, while in Saran district, schools up to class ten and Anganwadi centers will remain closed until December 23.

Anganwadi centers in Saran may open between 12 noon and 2 PM to serve hot meals to children. The public is advised to stay warm and take necessary precautions as the cold weather continues. It is important to stay updated with the weather alerts over the coming days.