Patna/Bhubaneswar/Kolkata: Many areas in the eastern states reeled under cold conditions with Gaya in Bihar and Daringbadi in Odisha recording the lowest temperatures.

In Bihar, Gaya recorded the state's lowest minimum temperature at 2.8 degrees Celsius and Bhagalpur at 3.1 degrees Celsius.

The state capital Patna recorded a minimum temperature of 6.1 degrees Celsius. The Patna Meteorological Centre said in its bulletin that severe cold day condition prevailed at Bhagalpur, Purnea, Chapra, Supaul, Forbisganj and Muzaffarpur.

The steel city of Jamshedpur and adjoining areas in Jharkhand today experienced the coldest day of the season and the East Singhbhum district administration has asked schools to declare holiday for the next three days for lower classes. The minimum temperature was recorded at 6.5 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal, Met office sources said.

At least 13 places of Odisha today recorded temperature below 10 degrees Celsius. The mercury dipped to 3 degrees Celsius at Daringbadi, 4.5 degrees Celsius at Phulbani, 7 degrees Celsius at Sundergarh and 8 degrees Celsius at Bhawanipatna.

The mercury dropped by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius in coastal Odisha due to cold wind from the north-east direction. IMD sources said the cold wave conditions will prevail in the state till January 9.

Icy winds walloped most areas in West Bengal intensifying the prevailing cold conditions even as the Met office today forecast similar conditions for the next few days.

Sriniketan in Birbhum district was the coldest in the plains with minimum temperature of 5.8 degrees Celsius at 5.30 am this morning, the MeT department said. Kolkatans experienced a chilly Sunday with a minimum temperature of 10.6 degrees Celsius, which is three notches below normal, the MeT department said.

Minimum temperatures dipped below the 10 degrees mark in most places of West Bengal, with Asansol recording a low of 7.1 degrees Celsius, followed by Coochbehar 7.6 degrees Celsius, Burdwan 7.6 degrees Celsius and Bankura 8.4 degrees Celsius.

IANS