Warmth of hospitality and good wishes will be the only respite from the biting cold this New Year.

The IMD offices of Ranchi and Patna on Monday said cold wave conditions over Jharkhand would prevail for another two days or so, which means New Year’s eve and New Year.

“North-westerly winds have intensified the chill. Severe cold is likely to prevail for another 48 hours, with sub-10 chill in most districts,” said S.C. Mandal , a senior IMD official in Ranchi, adding that the warning of cold wave conditions had been extended.

Ranchi on Monday showed a minimum reading of 6.5°C, around three notches below normal, while Kanke on the outskirts of Ranchi shivered at 5.8°C, three points below normal. Night reading for Jamshedpur was 8.2°C, three notches below normal. The IMD observatory in Daltonganj, Palamau headquarters, on Monday clocked a minimum temperature of 5.6°C, four points below normal.

Dhanbad and Bokaro recorded a minimum of 6.8°C and 6.6°C, the minimum reading in Chaibasa, West Singhbhum, recorded 6.6°C on Monday. Many other districts such as Hazaribagh, Koderma, Deoghar, Giridih, Dhanbad, Simdega, Jamtara and Pakur recorded below 8°C.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore, Calcutta, said coldwave conditions would prevail in some pockets of the state for another two days. “The entire state is in the grip of the bitter north-westerly winds, causing the Celsius slide. Minimum readings are likely to be around 7-8°C in hilly areas,” said a duty officer.

The weatherman went on to say that the regional weather office had issued a forecast of thunderstorm with lightning and hailstorm at one or two places over Jharkhand on January 2. Sector-wise forecast for Jharkhand suggested light to moderate rain at isolated places in north and central Jharkhand on January 1.