The crisp North Wind coupled with clear weather promises to send the Celsius tumbling across Jharkhand after the next 48 hours, as predicted by India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday.

The IMD offices in Ranchi and Patna, in their afternoon bulletins, said dry weather would prevail across districts for the next one week, and revived north-westerly winds would drag down minimum temperatures.

“Clear skies mean low humidity and lower minimum. Readings will plunge depending on the intensity of the winds. We are expecting a fall of minimum readings by three to four degrees after 48 hours,” warned the director of Ranchi Meteorological Centre, S D Kotal.

For the last two days, the capital was cool at 16°C. As per the forecast in Ranchi, the minimum reading is expected to drop to 12-13°C around this weekend.

Bokaro, which for the second day today notched a minimum temperature around 15°C, can expect a drop of two degrees in the next 72 hours.

Jamshedpur was warmer at 19°C, but the minimum over the next three days is expected to reach 15°C.

The local observatory at Daltonganj recorded around 17°C for the last two days.

In the next 72 hours, the Palamau headquarters may expect the shivers at 13°C.

The Met department has predicted the same weather across the state until the weekend, with mist every morning and evening.

A senior weather analyst at the Patna Meteorological Centre said that the northwesterly has set in over Jharkhand.

“This is the post-monsoon season with fluctuating wind patterns. But, gradually the north-westerly wind, which usually helps in bringing down night temperature, is setting in over Jharkhand,” said the climate analyst.

The forecast has ruled out the possibility of cloud formation owing to local developments or any prevailing system in the Bay of Bengal.