India News : The winter chill has intensified across West Bengal, with Kolkata recording its coldest day of January so far on Tuesday. The city’s minimum temperature dropped to 10.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded in the month in recent years, breaking previous January records.
According to the weather department, Kolkata had not experienced such low temperatures in January before. In suburban areas and nearby regions, temperatures dipped below the 10-degree mark at several locations.
🌫️ Fog and Cold Day Conditions
Early Tuesday morning, a light blanket of fog covered parts of Kolkata, while surrounding districts witnessed dense fog from late Monday night. Morning hours saw reduced visibility in suburban and rural areas.
Over the past 15 years, Kolkata’s January temperature had dropped below 11 degrees Celsius only once—in 2023, when the minimum stood at 10.9 degrees. That record has now been surpassed. Earlier, in December 2012, temperatures touched 10 degrees, while December 1965 saw an extreme low of 7.2 degrees Celsius.
❄️ Further Dip in Temperature Expected
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a further drop in night temperatures across the Gangetic plains of south Bengal. On Wednesday and Thursday, minimum temperatures may fall by another two degrees Celsius.
IMD officials said that while no major change is expected after that for four to five days, daytime temperatures are likely to remain three to five degrees below normal, prolonging the cold conditions.
⚠️ Cold Day Warning for Several Districts
Cold day conditions are likely in parts of East and West Burdwan, Bankura, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Nadia districts. On Wednesday, similar conditions may prevail in all districts except Bankura. A dense fog warning has also been issued for Murshidabad and Nadia.
🏔️ North Bengal Braces for Severe Cold
North Bengal is expected to experience dense fog across most districts over the next few days, significantly reducing morning visibility. Cold day conditions may develop in North and South Dinajpur as well as Malda districts.
In districts such as Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong, temperatures have dropped to around 2–3 degrees Celsius. Darjeeling may also witness snowfall during this period.
IMD has advised residents to remain cautious, avoid early morning travel where possible, and take necessary precautions against cold and fog-related hazards.
