The mercury dipped to 17.5 degrees Celsius in Kolkata on Monday, the coldest November 14 in nine years, as cold winds from Kashmir strengthened their grip on the city. November 14, 2013, was colder at 17.3 degrees (see chart).
On Monday, the bite of the winds was unmissable in the morning. Schoolchildren and other early birds had an extra layer of clothing on them. The Met office has not ruled out a further slide. The mercury has plunged four degrees in the past four days. The first sharp dip came on Sunday, when the minimum temperature dipped to 18.8 degrees from 20.1 the day before.
November has seen colder days in Kolkata. Last year, on November 29, the Alipore Met office recorded a minimum temperature of 17.3 degrees Celsius. On November 24, 2020, the Celsius had plunged to 15.3 degrees Celsius. November 30, 1982, when the Celsius settled at 11.7 degrees, makes the cut as the coldest November day, according to the Met records.
The upper reaches of Kashmir received snowfall on Monday. The cold winds from Kashmir are the agents of chill across swathes of India, including Kolkata. The hint of chill is going to persist, though it is not likely to herald an early winter, said G.K. Das, director, IMD, Kolkata.