Cold wave tightens grip on Kolkata again, fog warning issued

The cold spell intensified once again across Kolkata and several parts of West Bengal on Friday, with the city recording a minimum temperature of 12.5 degrees Celsius. Weather officials said the chill is likely to persist for the next couple of days, though a gradual rise in temperature is expected from Sunday.

According to the Alipore Meteorological Department, temperatures may increase by 2–3 degrees Celsius as northerly winds weaken due to an approaching western disturbance over Kashmir. Another western disturbance is expected from January 19, which could further push temperatures upward between Monday and Wednesday.

The weather department also issued a warning for dense fog across large parts of the state. Several districts in North Bengal, including Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda, may witness severely reduced visibility ranging between 50 and 199 meters.

In South Bengal, dense morning fog is likely in districts such as Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Nadia, Birbhum and Murshidabad. Visibility in some areas may drop to as low as 50 meters, raising concerns over possible disruptions to road and rail movement.

Meanwhile, Darjeeling recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the state at 4 degrees Celsius. Sriniketan in Birbhum emerged as one of the coldest places after Darjeeling, while several other districts reported minimum temperatures hovering between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius. People have been advised to remain cautious during early morning and night hours.