This winter, a chilly affair for city

This winter has been a chill affair with the city experiencing a cold spell this season.

January experienced the lowest temperature in the past six years with12.3 degrees Celsius. The lowest minimum of 12.1 degrees Celsius was recorded on January 19, 2009.

In December, the city experienced the lowest temperature of 13.7 degrees Celsius. A minimum of 12 degrees Celsius was recorded on December 11, 2016.

Though the city did not experience any cold days as per definition, going by the temperatures, the minimum temperature was below normal during most of the days in December and January.

The normal maximum and minimum for December were 27 and 16 degrees Celsius respectively. For January, the normal maximum and minimum were 28 and 16 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Geeta Agnihotri, director-in-charge, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru, said many days experienced cold spell this season when compared to previous years.

It was not just because of the winds, but also due to the local factors like the creation of heat islands and dry lands, she added.

C S Patil, director-in-charge, IMD Bengaluru, said the northerly winds were less this season. Winter will continue till February. But gradually the temperature will rise.

Geeta and Patil said the light rainfall, up to 0.8 mm, in isolated places across the state, which occurred during the end of January, had no impact on the winter spell because of a trough.

However, the weathermen have hinted that the summer heat could be high in the coming season. They said that temperatures would gradually rise from the mid of February.