Kolkata experiences early winter with minimum temperature around 18°C today

As 2nd week of November sharpens into a full-throated winter howl across Kolkata and Bengal, the minimum temperature dips around 18°C in Kolkata today with below 15°C in the Bengal districts, courtesy of unrelenting cold western winds that reminds of the season's advance spell. On todat, the Alipore Weather Office reports an average dip of 1-2°C below normal statewide, with Kolkata holding a tentative minimum of around 18°C. Light fog blankets coastal stretches and seeps into the mornings, while relative humidity swings between 50% and 89%, making the chill feel sneakier in the damp dawn hours. North Bengal isn't spared either: districts like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri are shrouded in thicker mists, especially in the hills, under bone-dry skies with zero rain in sight.

This early cold snap, echoing alerts in neighboring Odisha and Jharkhand, signals the vanguard of a prolonged wintry phase, urging residents to dust off their woolens sooner than expected.The forecast paints a steady picture of persistence rather than panic—no dramatic swings on the horizon, with temperatures likely to hover in this sub-15°C zone for western pockets and a touch milder in the east for the next 3-5 days, extending through the weekend. Weather vortices in the central Bay of Bengal and southern Bangladesh are fizzling out, joined by a faint one over northern Tamil Nadu, but none strong enough to stir up rain or relief.

Daytime highs offers fleeting warmth that evaporates by evening, turning the state's vibrant street life into a symphony of steaming chai cups and huddled conversations. For the uninitiated, this isn't Bengal's bone-rattling December deep freeze yet, but the prelude: mornings where breath clouds like secrets, and evenings that coax families indoors earlier, blending discomfort with that cozy anticipation of pitha feasts and foggy fairs. As the Alipore IMD cautions of stable chills ahead, it's a cue for small adaptations: layered outfits for school runs, extra blankets for the elderly, and perhaps a mental note to savor the sun when it peeks through. With no immediate threats of severe fog or frost, the state settles into this gentle grip, this year is ticking towards colder winter. For now, West Bengal exhales visible puffs into the ether, embracing the bite that heralds holidays and hearths alight.