Kathmandu valley experienced the coldest day of this winter season with minimum temperature dipping to 1.5 degree Celsius on Wednesday morning.

Meteorologist Min Kumar Aryal at the Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD) said today was the coldest day of the season and the temperature is likely to drop further. The minimum temperature on Tuesday was recorded at 2.6 degree Celsius.

The extreme minimum temperature ever recorded for Kathmandu was -2 degrees Celsius on December 31, 1977.

The dip is temperature has been mainly attributed to westerly winds from the Mediterranean Sea.

Similarly, rising pollution level in the valley is also to be blamed for the cold. “The radiation from the sun cannot reach the land surface in adequate amount as it is blocked by the blanket of pollutants over the skies,” said Aryal. “This has also increased the cold.”

Meteorologists said the temperature is likely to decrease further in the coming days. If it rains, the temperature will drop further but there is less chance of rain in the valley, they said. Rainfall is expected in some of the hilly districts in western part of the country.

Despite drop in temperature, sunshine since early morning has provided much relief to the valley denizens from the bone chilling cold.

The lowest temperature was recorded in Jumla at minus 8 degree Celsius. Minimum temperature has also decreased in Dipayal (1.8°C), Dadeldhura (0.7°C), Pokhara (6.5°C), Biratnagar (8.4°C) and Taplejung (3.5°C), according to MFD.