The sting in winter’s tail has left Kolkatans scurrying for woollens that they had packed away for good for this season.
In the districts, people need more than woollens as the Celsius is in a free-fall.
The minimum temperature in Kolkata on Saturday was 14.6 degrees, three notches below normal. It was the lowest since January 29, when the minimum was 13.6 degrees.
Early February, the Celsius shot up sharply, breaching the 20-degree minimum mark in the first week itself. The unusual warm spell that February has so far seen had prompted the Met office to predict that winter was on its way out.
The return of the cold northwesterly winds has turned the tables.
On Saturday morning, Dum Dum was colder than Kolkata at 13.7 degrees. The day temperature was also below normal.
In Purulia, the minimum plunged to seven degrees on Friday. On Saturday, it rose marginally to 8.2 degrees, still much colder than usual.
Many Kolkatans flock to Purulia and Bankura on winter weekends. The chill caught them off guard.
“We have had to provide extra blankets in almost every room. A week ago, the days were so hot that we were having to service the air-conditioners to make them usable,” said Pradip Roy, manager of Akash Hill Top Resort in Purulia.
Mini Sarkar, a Dum Dum resident and a guest at the hotel, told The Telegraph: “Kolkata was fairly hot when we left. We had packed accordingly. But we were in for a surprise. We spent most of the time after sundown inside the room because of the cold.”
Purulia, Bankura, West Burdwan had cold wave-like conditions on Saturday. “The conditions are likely to persist on Sunday,” said G.K. Das, director, India Meteorological Department, Kolkata.
The Met office had earlier ruled out the possibility of the Celsius sliding below 15 degrees in Kolkata.
“The northwesterly winds were expected to skirt Kolkata and move through the north of Kolkata, via Nadia and Murshidabad. But they came south and directly impacted the city,” Das said.
The Met office has predicted a minimum temperature of around 15 degrees on Sunday.
“The impact of the northwesterlies has started weakening. The feeling of chill will still be there on Sunday. But from Monday, the Celsius will gradually rise, both in Kolkata and the districts,” he said.
Another high-pressure zone is likely to take shape over the Bay by the middle of next week. “There will be a rise in moisture incursion. The sky will be cloudy in parts and some rain is expected around February 14,” Das said.