The winter chill is here at long last. Better, it is likely to stay.
The mercury plunged to 13.8 degrees Celsius in the city on Thursday, the coldest day of the season so far, riding strong north-westerly winds. Dum Dum was colder at 13 degrees.
Purulia, Birbhum and West Burdwan were among the districts that recorded a minimum temperature of 10 degrees or less.
The Met office has predicted a cold spell in the districts over the next three days. In Calcutta, the mercury is tipped to dip to 12 degrees by the weekend, said Met
officials.
“Mainly dry northwesterly to northerly winds prevailing at lower levels and under its influence, the night temperature (minimum temperature) is very likely to be below
normal over districts of Bengal and cold-wave condition likely in some districts
of West Bengal during December 13 to 15,” said a Met bulletin.
“Cold wave condition is very likely to occur over Purulia, East Burdwan, West Burdwan, and Birbhum districts on December 13 and over Purulia, East Burdwan, West Burdwan, Bankura and Birbhum districts on December 14 and 15.”
In the remaining districts, the minimum temperature is likely to drop by two to four degrees, according to the forecast.
A cold wave is usually declared in a place when the minimum temperature drops by five degrees or more below normal.
The city roads mirrored the chill more than the Met readings. The legendary monkey cap was back. Almost everyone on the road had a layer of warm clothes, even in the afternoon. Parents made sure the faces and ears of their babies were covered.
Early in the morning, children on the way to school had more than one layer of warm clothes.
Tea stalls across the city did brisk business.
“The northerly component in the wind flow is dominant. The chill is likely to stay for now. In Calcutta, the Celsius is likely to drop to around 12 degrees in a couple of days,” said H.R. Biswas, the head of the weather section at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore.
“The dry and cold winds are coming from land. There is no system over the Bay that can inject moisture into land,” said Biswas.
Strong moisture flow from the sea impedes the northerly and northwesterly winds, resulting in a rise in the mercury.
