February is not yet over and the mercury has already breached 35 degrees. The maximum temperature on Friday and Saturday was 35 and 35.1 degrees respectively.

The Met office in Alipore issued an alert on Saturday, warning of a rise in day temperature across south Bengal in the coming days.

“Due to continuous prevalence of dry weather, clear sky and direct insulation, day temperature is likely to be above normal by 4-6 degrees during the next 3-4 days over the districts of south Bengal,” said the alert.

“The entire south Bengal, including Calcutta, is under the grip of unusually scorching days,” said a Met official. “The rise in day temperature has been abnormal. There is not a speck of a cloud in the sky,” he added.

The clouds make the weather more humid and, in the absence of heavy rain, the discomfort level goes up, said a Met official. “But the clouds also act as a shield,” he added.

The weather in Calcutta this time last year stood in sharp contrast with the weather this time (see chart). A cyclonic circulation over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar had led to overcast conditions in the city in the last week of February. On February 25, 2020, the maximum temperature was 22.6 degrees, nine notches below normal. The city had received light rain on that day.

In comparison, the maximum temperature on February 25 this year was 34.5 degrees, four notches above normal.

The contrast is as stark between the start and end of this month as well. On February 1, the mercury plunged to 11.4 degrees, making it the second coldest day this winter and the coldest February day in a decade.

Both the minimum and maximum temperature had been much lower than usual in the first week of February. But the impact of then low day temperature was more pronounced.

Heat index

February-end maximum temperature in Calcutta and deviation (in degrees)

2020

February 25: 22.6 (-8.8)

February 26: 27.5 (-4)

February 27: 29.1 (-2.3)

2021

February 25: 34.5 (3)

February 26: 35 (4)

February 27: 35.1