Kolkata residents woke up to a biting chill on Christmas Day, as the city recorded its lowest temperature of the season so far. The mercury plunged to 13.7 degrees Celsius on Thursday, marking not only the coldest day this winter but also securing its place as the second coldest Christmas in the last ten years.
Mercury Dips Further, Colder Friday Expected
The chill is far from over. The Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata has predicted that the minimum temperature will drop even further, potentially touching nearly 12 degrees Celsius on Friday, Boxing Day. This would make the morning even colder than Christmas. While a slight rise is possible from Saturday, the cold wave is expected to persist, with temperatures hovering around the 13-degree mark for the next four to five days.
This was the first instance this season when the temperature entered the 13-degree bracket. Previously, the lowest recorded was 14.4°C on December 21. The daytime maximum temperature also contributed to the shiver, dropping to 21.2°C from 23.7°C the previous day, creating a significant 7.5-degree difference between the day's high and low.
How Neighbouring Areas Fared
The cold grip was tighter in the suburbs and neighbouring districts. While Salt Lake recorded a similar 13.5°C, Dum Dum was colder at 13°C. The neighbouring Howrah district registered an even lower minimum of 12.4°C. In South Bengal, Sriniketan recorded the lowest at a frigid 8.5°C, and the hill station of Darjeeling shivered at a mere 3°C.
A Look Back at Christmas Chill
Weather scientist Sourish Bandyopadhyay from the Regional Meteorological Centre confirmed the prolonged cold spell. The last time Kolkata experienced a colder Christmas was in 2018, when the temperature hit 12.9°C. In contrast, last year's Christmas was much warmer at 18 degrees, which was 3.5 degrees above normal and nearly five degrees higher than this year's reading.
Meteorologists attribute the persistent cold to an uninterrupted flow of dry north-westerly and northerly winds. This wind system, bringing chill from the northern regions, has been gaining strength over the past few days. The absence of major weather systems like western disturbances or low-pressure areas has allowed this cold flow to dominate since early December.
"Along with the minimum temperature, the maximum temperature too is expected to remain below the normal mark for now," added Bandyopadhyay. "The wind system is favourable at present, with a strong north-westerly and westerly wind breezing in. We see no weather system to block this wind system for now."
With the Met office indicating no immediate change in the weather pattern, Kolkatans must brace for the cold conditions to continue well into the final week of the year, wrapping the city in a sustained winter blanket.
