Kottayam: Winter has unleashed unusually cold nights in the district, which is set to experience the coldest January ever.

The Met recorded 16 degree Celsius at the Rubber Board headquarters near Puthupally on Thursday.

The lowest temperature until now, 15 degrees, was recorded in the district in 2005.

On December 13, 2000, it was 16.2, and in January 1975, the temperature was 16.9.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) recorded 14.8 degrees on February 8, 2006.

Punalur recorded 15 degrees on December 11, 1956.

The lowest temperature ever recorded in Kerala's valley areas was 12.8 degrees in Punalur on January 8, 1968.

Observers are waiting to see if temperatures will dip further.

High ranges engulfed in mist

The High Ranges, including Munnar, were engulfed in mist, with temperature dipping into minus degrees on January 2.

The temperature in Munnar has dropped down below 0°C. Minus 2°C was recorded at the valley of Meesapulimala, 20 kilometres away from Munnar

Extreme weather has been reported from Anakottu Park to Perumala Anamudy Chola National Park in the Marayur-Kantalloor road.

Desert-like scenarios on anvil?

Karwar in Karnataka's coast recorded degrees on Thursday. Even Kottayam, which remained cold chilly at night, was warm at noon, recording 34 degrees. Observers hold the view that the difference of over 10 degrees between the night and day temperatures could create desert-like situations in future.

As per forecasts, rain is not expected in the state in the coming days.

The lowest temperatures recorded in Kerala on Thursday was: Kottayam 16, CIAL 17, Alappuzha, Thrissur, Kannur-Calicut airports 18, Thiruvananthapuram, Punalur and Kozhikode 20 and Sabarimala 21.

Elsewhere in the country, New Delhi was chilly at 7 degrees, Kolkata recorded 12, and Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mumbai hit the 13 degree Celsius mark.

Southern cities of Coimbatore (16), Mangaluru (18) and Chennai (20) also recorded a dip in temperature.

No cyclone threat

The Pabuk cyclone formed near the Andamans coast is likely to enter the Bay of Bengal, but may not reach Tamil Nadu. However, the Bay could be turbulent. Fishermen are warned to stay off the deep sea.