Monday was the season’s coldest day so far, with the mercury dropping to 15.1 degrees Celsius in the city.
Meteorologically, the minimum temperature was perfectly normal for mid-December. But the Celsius had been a few notches above normal for several days and on Monday, the plunge was tangible.
Early risers felt the bite of cold winds, with morning walkers putting on an extra layer before stepping out. Even the afternoon was relatively cold and windy, with the maximum temperature staying a point below normal, at 25.8 degrees.
The bright, sunny weather promises colder mornings in the coming days.
“On Monday, the minimum temperature was normal. Over the next few days, it is expected to go one or two notches below normal,” said G.K. Das, director, IMD, Kolkata. “The winter chill in Kolkata is not uninterrupted and comes in two or three spells. This is the first such spell.”
A high-pressure area over central India is accelerating the flow of the cold northerly and northwesterly winds into the Gangetic Bengal, he said.
The absence of any weather system over the Bay of Bengal has led to a fall in the moisture levels and the cold winds are getting a smooth access, said weather scientists.
“The chill in Kolkata depends on the conditions up north. A -3°C temperature in Srinagar can translate into a 6°C in Delhi and 11°C in Kolkata,” said a Met official.
If Kolkata was cold on Monday, the districts were colder.
The minimum temperature was between 12 and 14 degrees in Nadia, Murshidabad and Birbhum.