Mercury dips to 12°C in Kolkata as cold wave returns, chill to remain till Makar Sankranti

The winter chill has intensified across West Bengal just in time for the festive occasion of Makar Sankranti. According to the Alipore Meteorological Department, Kolkata recorded a minimum temperature of 12.4 degrees Celsius on Monday morning, marking a drop of nearly 2-3 degrees from previous days. This sudden plunge is attributed to the uninterrupted flow of cold north-westerly winds, which are expected to push the mercury even lower in the next 48 hours, ensuring a biting cold spell during the Makar Sankranti celebrations.

While South Bengal districts are experiencing a steady dip in temperatures ranging between 11-13 degrees, the western districts like Purulia and Bankura are shivering at even lower levels, between 7-10 degrees Celsius. The Met office predicts that this cold wave will persist for at least another week. Additionally, a fresh Western Disturbance is expected to enter northwest India around January 15, which may further influence the regional weather patterns in the coming days.

In North Bengal, the situation remains more severe with a dense fog warning issued for Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, and Uttar Dinajpur. Visibility in these regions is expected to drop to a mere 50 meters during the early morning hours, potentially disrupting road and rail traffic. In the hilly regions of Darjeeling, the mercury is hovering between a piercing 2 to 4 degrees Celsius, with dry weather prevailing across the region and no immediate signs of rain.