Kolkata, Dec 30 (NationPress) The chill of winter has firmly established itself across West Bengal, leaving residents in the region feeling the bitter cold as minimum temperatures continue to decline. On Tuesday, the city of Kolkata marked its coldest day of the season, with the minimum temperature falling to 12.6 degrees Celsius, which is 1.2 degrees below the normal. Just a day prior, the minimum was recorded at 13.5 degrees C.

Additionally, Kolkata's maximum temperature reached 18.2 degrees Celsius, which is 7.2 degrees below normal. Meteorological officials noted that this unusual drop in daily maximum temperatures has led to an intense cold that has persisted throughout the day. According to reports, such a severe winter spell has not been observed in Kolkata for several years.

Forecasts indicate that these temperatures are likely to remain stable over the next few days, with a potential for further drops in the minimum temperature.

On the previous day, Purulia recorded a minimum temperature of 7.2 degrees Celsius, marking it as the lowest in South Bengal. Other temperatures noted included 4.4 degrees Celsius in Darjeeling, 9.1 in Asansol, 11.2 in Digha, 13.6 in Cooch Behar, 7.3 in Sriniketan, 10 in Kalimpong, and 9 degrees Celsius in Burdwan.

According to the MET official, the minimum temperatures during the night in Kolkata and other southern districts will largely remain unchanged for the next two days, indicating the continuation of the current cold spell. An increase in minimum temperatures by 2-3 degrees Celsius is expected afterward, but there is no forecast of a reduction in the intensity of winter before the New Year.

In Kolkata, the sky is expected to be predominantly clear with minimal cloud cover. Fog may be present in certain areas during the morning hours. The weather office has indicated that dry weather will persist throughout South Bengal for the time being. A warning for light to moderate fog has been issued across Bengal, potentially reducing visibility to 200 meters.

Furthermore, a separate warning regarding fog has been issued for northern Bengal. Districts such as Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, and North Dinajpur are expected to experience dense fog in the upcoming days, with visibility potentially dropping to between 199 meters and 50 meters. There is also a possibility of light rain and snowfall in Darjeeling from Wednesday to Friday.