Winter to take leave from Northeast soon: Meteriologist

Aizawl, Jan 10 (UNI) At a time when northern and central India is reeling under severe cold wave, meteorologists have predicted the withdrawal of winter from northeastern part of the country by next two weeks.

Talking to UNI, Deputy Director General of Regional Meteorological centre D Chakraborty said the northeastern states except the Sub-Himalayan region including North Bengal and Sikkim have already passed the chill weather affliction this year.

''Due to extension of a cyclonic circulation upto lower tropospheric levels lay over Asom, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura, the region was gripped under severe cold wave condition last week, but after passing of westerly circulation in upper wind, probability of further chill-feeling is almost nil'', Mr Chakraborty said.

He said prevalance of westerly jet-stream 200km/hr over eastern Himalaya was responsible for sudden drop of maximum temparature between 3 and 4 degrees celsius than normal during first week of January in NE region adding that Tripura and Asom had witnessed the coldest weather this year.

The prediction, he said, that a fresh western disturbance was likely to affect a few places of the region next week by isolated rains to be followed by dense fog over Sikkim, Asom, Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh but there was no chance of any more cold wave in the region this year.

Meanwhile, almost dry weather will prevail over the region in the next week while night temperature may change at a bearable limit over Asom, Meghaaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, it added.

The prediction, however, ruled out the possiblity of heavy rainfall across the region in the next few days though except Asom there was no record of post monsoon rainfall so far.

UNI