Wind chill makes Lucknow shiver, but AQI improves

LUCKNOW: Cold winds and light showers made Thursday nippy in the city and if weathermen are to be believed, the chill will intensify further on Friday, courtesy thundershowers and icy blasts from the north.
The cloud cover dragged the maximum temperature down to 22.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal, on Thursday. At the same time, it pushed up the minimum to 11.8 degrees Celsius, three notches above normal, by preventing ground heat from escaping into the atmosphere.Drizzle was reported from some parts of the city during the day.
Despite temperatures in Lucknow not being extreme, the day was bitter cold because of wind chill. In other words, body temperatures were lowered by the passing flow of low-temperature air. For instance, the temperature around noon was around 19 degrees Celsius, but the real feel was like 17 degrees Celsius.
The blast came from parts of the state where readings have dropped further owing to unseasonal rainfall. The wind velocity also reduced particulate matter in the atmosphere and improved the city’s air quality index from 362 on Wednesday to 312 on Thursday.
State Met director JP Gupta said a western disturbance over Jammu and Kashmir and a cyclonic circulation over Rajasthan were responsible for the changes in weather. The skies will, however, clear by Sunday.