The calendar says it is spring. The afternoon feels like summer. Late nights are reminiscent of winter.
The weather in Kolkata has been unusual. On Monday, the Met office recorded a minimum temperature of 18.6 degrees in Alipore. It was the lowest since February 26, when the Celsius had settled at 18.5 degrees.
Monday was also the coldest March day in Kolkata in four years (see chart).
But only till the sun came out in all its might. Around 1pm, the website of AccuWeather, a US-based forecasting agency, showed a temperature of around 32 degrees. The RealFeel was 37.
The sunglasses and hats were out. Walking on the road was taxing. Soft drinks and ice creams were in demand.
A Met official attributed the slide in the Celsius to the northwesterly winds from Kashmir.
“There is no system on the Bay of Bengal or on land near us to inject moisture into the atmosphere. The conditions are dry. As a result, northwesterly winds are getting a clear passage. They are not as strong as they are in the peak of winter, but are strong enough to drag the Celsius down at night and early in the morning,” said G.K. Das, director, India Meteorological Department, Kolkata.
Not everyone has been able to cope with the vagaries of the elements.
Metro on Monday reported about a spurt in the number of people suffering from fever and cough because of the weather.
Doctors said the temperature fluctuations — a cool morning, followed by a warm afternoon and again a cool night — are making viruses more active and increasing the chances of infection.
“Early in the morning, you need a warm layer. But barely into the forenoon, it becomes so hot that the fan does not seem enough,” said Joyeeta Kundu, a schoolteacher who leaves home at 7am.
The current spell started on March 8.
But the weather is likely to change soon, he said.
“A high-pressure zone is likely to take shape over the Bay. The moisture level is likely to go up, leading to warmer weather. Thunderstorms are expected in south Bengal, including Kolkata, from March 13-14,” he said.
Apart from Kolkata, rain is likely in East Midnapore, West Midnapore, North 24-Parganas, South-24 Parganas, East Burdwan, Howrah, Hooghly, Jhargram and Bankura.
The temperature is likely to go up from Tuesday. In Kolkata, the minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to be around 21 and 33 degrees on Tuesday, according to the Met forecast.