Hyderabad, Jan 3 : Cold wave gripped Telangana with minimum temperature dropping to single digits in 15 and out of state's 30 districts on Friday, officials said.

According to the Telangana Development Planning Society (TGDPS), the average minimum temperature in the state was 13.3 degrees Celsius, which is 2.7 per cent below the normal temperature.

There was a significant drop in night temperatures in many places, including the state capital Hyderabad and its suburbs.

Kumaram Bheem Asifabad recorded the lowest temperature at 6.5 degrees Celsius. Sirupur (U) in the district was the coldest place in the state.

Sangareddy district was shivering at 6.9 degrees Celsius, followed by Adilabad at 7.1°C, Vikarabad at 7.3°C, and Rangareddy at 7.5°C.

The other districts which recorded minimum temperature of less than 10°C are Kamareddy (8°C), Nirmal (8.5°C), Mahabubnagar (9°C) and Rajanna Sircilla (9°C), Medak (9.1°C), Medchal Malkajgiri (9.6°C), Siddipet (9.7°C), Jayashankar Bhupalpally (9.9°C), Narayanpet(10°C) and Jagtial (10°C).

There was a sharp drop in mercury levels in and around Hyderabad.

Moinabad in Rangareddy district near Hyderabad experienced biting cold with minimum temperature dropping to 7.5°C.

Moulaali in Medchal Malkajgiri district recorded a minimum temperature of 9.6°C.

Fifteen districts recorded minimum temperatures ranging between 10.3°C and 13.2°C.

Hyderabad district recorded an average minimum temperature of 17°C.

Maredpally was the coldest at 12.1°C.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted cold wave conditions at isolated pockets in the Adilabad, Kumaram Bheem Asifabad and Nirmal districts on Saturday.

Mainly low-level North-Easterlies prevail over the state, said an IMD bulletin.

Dry weather is likely to prevail for the next seven days.

Mist or hazy conditions are likely to prevail during morning hours at isolated pockets over Telangana during the next five days.

Minimum temperatures are likely to be below 2 to 4°C during the next three days.

For Hyderabad and its surroundings, the IMD has predicted a partly cloudy sky over the next 48 hours.

Mist/hazy conditions are likely to prevail during morning hours.

Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 3°C and 14°C respectively.

Surface winds are likely to be North-Easterlies with wind speeds around 4-8 km per hour.

/IANS