SHILLONG, Jan 8 - Meghalaya Capital Shillong today recorded the coldest day in 28 years with the temperature dropping to a bitterly cold - 0.7 degree Celsius. Moreover, the Met department has forecasted continued cold weather for the next three days.
The previous coldest day recorded was in January 12, 1989 when the temperature dipped to 0.8 degree Celsius. However, the Met officials based at Upper Shillong said the coldest day ever recorded for the State Capital remains -2.80C, which was in 1950.
The temperature has been plummeting in the past few days due to the cold Westerly and Northwesterly wind blowing over Afghanistan, Pakistan and much of the Himalayas right across to the region. Such weather phenomenon is normal during this time of the year. The maximum temperature recorded today was 14.3 degree Celsius. �Similar weather pattern would continue for the next three days,� a Met official said.
The minimum temperature recorded last Friday was 3.2 degree Celsius. The temperature dropped further to 1.5 decree C on Saturday and on Sunday it was 0.8 degree Celsius. A cold wind has also been blowing during these days adding to the chill factor.
Due to the extreme cold , the streets have gone empty in the evening and people have rushed indoors. In the morning the fields and meadows have turned white with frost. Some of the streamlets have been covered with a thin layer of ice in the past few days.