City Temp Plunges to Single-Digit

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad woke up to numbers that felt unfamiliar for early November as the mercury at the University of Hyderabad in Serilingampally touched 8.8°C on Friday and the chill travelled across the city. “This is a short-term spell and temperatures will stay between 9 and 11 degree Centigrade in the next couple of days,” said Dr K. Nagaratna, head of the Meteorological Centre. She added that the outskirts of the city would feel colder while Hyderabad will be chillier than usual.

The Planning Development Society recorded 10.5°C in Ramachandrapuram, 10.7°C in Rajendranagar and 11°C in Serilingampally up to 8.30 am on Friday. District readings showed a wider field of low temperatures that stretched into the northern parts of Telangana.

Sangareddy went to 7.8°C and Asifabad reached 8.3°C. Medak touched nine degrees while several pockets settled between ten and twelve. As per the prediction, Hyderabad could fall by another degree or so and central Telangana might follow the same trajectory.

The drop showed up across neighbourhoods in a scattered pattern. Hyderabad Rains, an X handle, placed Dhulapally Forest Park at 5.4°C and Ibrahimpatnam at 8.8°C. ‘Telangana Weatherman’ T. Balaji called it “one of the strongest November cold waves in seven years” and said this was turning into a repeat of 2018.

A user in a local weather thread remarked that stepping out of the Metro Rail felt colder than the ride itself, which captured the abrupt temperature gradient better than any chart.

‘Rajani Weather’ noted that the night temperature in the city “can drop by two or three degrees and settle around twelve or thirteen”.

Weather watchers believe the cold wave has been building for nearly a week. Telangana Weatherman said the strong phase began two days ago and could continue for four more days, followed by another stretch of cooler nights. GHMC areas will remain in the 10 to 14 degree range through the morning.