Bhubaneswar, Oct. 17: Winter is coming. And no, we're not talking about the oft-repeated expression on the hit TV show Game of Thrones here but what the regional meteorological centre has said.

Officials at the Met centre here have said the southwest monsoon withdrew from the state yesterday giving way to chilly winds from the northeast.

The minimum temperature has dropped by two to three degrees in Bhubaneswar over the past few days and you cannot miss the strong nip in the air.

"It is the middle of October and you can already feel the chill in the late evenings and night. I will have to get my winter clothes out if this weather persists," said Aman Nayak, a call centre employee.

Talking to The Telegraph, Met director Sarat Chandra Sahu said: "The situation is favourable and the minimum temperature will fall further by two to three degrees in the city. If the situation continues in this way, winter will cover the entire state by the first week of November."

The average minimum temperature remained around 20°C at most places across the state.

The minimum temperature in the twin cities has been hovering around 19 and 21 degrees Celsius over the past five days.

Known as the Kashmir of Odisha, Daringbadi today recorded the lowest temperature of 13.5°C followed by 15.2°C in Bhawanipatna.

Sahu said though there is very little chance of rain in the coming days, the skies will remain partly cloudy. "Due to the cloudy skies, the humidity will remain intact around 70 to 80 per cent during the day and the nights will continue to be cool. People will definitely feel the chill around dawn," he said.

The monsoon this year was moderate. The state witnessed a deficit monsoon for the second consecutive year this time and recorded 11 per cent deficit. It was 13 per cent last year.

The Met experts have predicted mild fog in the city and its outskirts during the early hours, which could reduce visibility up to 200 metres.

"The fog will not be that dense right now but it will increase later in the month," said a Met official.

Chandrasekharpur resident Shanti Lata Rath said the holy month of Kartik had just started when senior people, especially women, wake up early to bathe and carry out various rituals.

"It is usually around Diwali when the winter actually sets in, but this time it has come early. It is going to be a little tough for those waking up early," he said.