The Celsius slid below 14 degrees in the city for the first time this season on Friday, riding strong north-westerly winds.
The minimum temperature on Friday was 13.9 degrees. The Met office has predicted that the slide would continue.
“Over the next three days, the minimum temperature is likely to drop to around 12 degrees Celsius,” said G.K. Das, director of the India Meteorological Department, Kolkata.
The dip in night temperature was followed by a bright and sunny day. But the effect of the winds was felt throughout the day, even in the afternoon. The maximum temperature at 25.8°C was also a notch below normal.
All the boxes — needed for chill in Kolkata — are being ticked at the moment, he said.
“There has been decent snowfall in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. There is a high-pressure area in central India that is accelerating the flow of the cold winds from the north. The moisture content in the atmosphere is negligible,” said Das.
The cold and dry winds flowing downward are entering south Bengal via Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, said Met officials.
On Friday, the minimum temperatures in Srinagar and Delhi were around -3.5°C and 7.5°C, respectively.
In the districts of south Bengal, the Celsius was close to dropping below 10 degrees. “Sriniketan in Bolpur (Birbhum) recorded a low of 10.5 degrees on Friday,” said a Met official.
The onset of the chill has been delayed this year. This time last week, the minimum temperature in the city was hovering around the 17-18°C range. Last Thursday, the city got some rain.