HYDERABAD: The state is already reeling under cold conditions, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the chill will intensify over the next three days Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Temperatures are expected to dip two to three degrees Celsius below normal, the department said.
Cold wave likely to worsen this week
Officials attributed the drop to strong north and northeast winds blowing into the state and the high rainfall recorded earlier this year, both contributing to the increase in cold intensity. Minimum and maximum temperatures across Telangana have been declining steadily in recent days.
Night temperatures fall across several districts
From Saturday night to early Sunday, mercury levels fell sharply in several areas. At Patancheru, the minimum temperature which should normally be 16.8°C - dropped by 3.6°C to 13.2°C. Adilabad recorded a 1.5°C drop to 14.2°C, Medak 3.5°C lower at 14.1°C, Hayathnagar 1.2°C down at 15.6°C, Hanumakonda 4.2°C lower at 16°C, and Hyderabad 1.6°C below normal at 16.9°C.
Day temperatures also decline
Daytime temperatures too showed a downward trend. On Sunday, Ramagundam saw a maximum temperature of 29°C, 3°C below normal. Nizamabad recorded 30.2°C, 1.7°C below normal, while Hyderabad reported 29.2°C, 1.3°C lower than usual.