Daytime chill to fade in Bengal as min temp likely to rise by 2°C by weekend

The lingering winter chill in West Bengal is set to ease further, with the Meteorological Department forecasting a rise of around two degrees Celsius in minimum temperatures by the weekend. While a mild nip is still felt during early mornings and late nights, the daytime chill has nearly vanished and is expected to fade completely by Sunday.

On Thursday, Kolkata recorded a minimum temperature of 16.9 degrees Celsius, which was 0.8 degrees below normal. However, temperatures are projected to climb gradually over the next few days. In South Bengal, night temperatures are currently about two degrees below normal but are likely to increase steadily.

Weather conditions are expected to remain dry and clear across the state, with no rainfall forecast for the week. In South Bengal, light fog or dew may occur during early morning hours, but skies will remain clear through the day. There is no warning of dense fog in either North or South Bengal at present.

In North Bengal, light to moderate fog is likely during morning hours in all districts. Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and North Dinajpur may witness relatively denser fog, with visibility in some areas dropping to around 1,000 metres. Minimum temperatures in western districts of South Bengal may range between 14 and 17 degrees Celsius, while Kolkata and adjoining areas are expected to record between 17 and 19 degrees Celsius. A slight rise in temperature is also anticipated in North Bengal.