An unusually hot Makar Sankranti (January 14) has given way to a semblance of winter in Kolkata.
The minimum temperature, which was hovering around 20 degrees Celsius last weekend, has come down significantly but is still above normal for mid-January.
Even then, the past couple of days have had a hint of chill because of the low day temperature, said a Met official.
On Tuesday, the maximum temperature was 23.3 degrees, three notches below normal.
"The minimum temperature is recorded during the coldest period of the day and the maximum temperature during the warmest period. The maximum temperature is more indicative of how hot or cold a day has been," said a Met official.
On Tuesday, the mercury was lower than normal even during the warmest period of the day, between noon and 3pm, he said.
He attributed the low day temperature to fog and northerly winds.
"The northerly winds are not as cold as the northwesterlies. But they are not as moisture-laden as winds from the Bay, which were dominant in the city a couple of days ago," said the official.
Saturday was the warmest Makar Sankranti in Kolkata in at least 53 years, according to the Met records.
The minimum temperature recorded by the Met office in Alipore, which serves as the official record for Kolkata, on Saturday was 19.7 degrees Celsius, a staggering five notches above normal.
A high-pressure zone over the Bay of Bengal had then led to the incursion of moisture-laden winds into the coastal areas.
The high-pressure zone still persists in a weakened form, said Met officials. But a trough of low-pressure, supposed to take shape in an area stretching from Odisha to Bengal, is tipped to trigger some rain in the next two days.
"The rain is more likely in the districts adjoining Odisha like Purba and Paschim Medinipur. Kolkata is likely to get some clouds and a light shower is not ruled out," said the Met official.
The maximum and minimum temperatures in Kolkata are likely to be around 24 degrees and 15 degrees in the next two days.