The meteorological department on Wednesday hinted at a slight increase in minimum readings owing to the impact of a passing western disturbance in the northern parts of the country.

Weathermen at IMD’s Ranchi Met centre said the minimum readings would witness a rise by at least two degrees in the next 48 hours.

“The day’s reading will witness a fall while night readings would rise in the next two days,” said a weather analyst at the Ranchi Met centre.

Statistics revealed that Ranchi on Wednesday recorded a minimum temperature of 13.5°C, one notch below normal. The Met office has forecast fog and mist in Ranchi for the next two days and minimum readings of around 14-15°Celsius.

Jamshedpur on Wednesday recorded a minimum temperature of 15.4°C, which was a normal temperature during this time of the season. The minimum reading in the steel city is expected to climb to 17°C in the next 48 hours due to the impact of the western disturbance.

Daltonganj on Wednesday recorded a minimum reading of 14.8°C, 0.1 notch above normal. Here, too, the minimum is expected to witness a rise in the next two days.

Bokaro and Dumka recorded minimum readings of around 13°C, around three points below normal. Kanke for the second consecutive day recorded minimum temperature of around 12°C on Wednesday.

Weathermen at the Patna Meteorological Centre said the minimum readings would again witness a slide from this weekend. “The western disturbance is blocking the free flow of north-westerly wind. But, the north wind is expected to gain strength after the impact of the western disturbance wanes,” a duty officer at the Patna Met centre said.