Purulia district in southern West Bengal recorded a significantly lower temperature than several hill stations in the state. On Tuesday, the mercury dipped to a chilling 12.1 degrees Celsius, surpassing the lowest temperature recorded in Kalimpong at 14.3 degrees Celsius.

This unexpected cold wave has swept across southern West Bengal, whereas other districts in northern West Bengal, like Jalpaiguri (16.9°C), Alipurduar (17.0°C), Coochbehar (15.7°C), Raiganj (17.5°C), and Malda (20.2°C), are experiencing relatively milder temperatures.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a gradual decrease in temperatures across Gangetic West Bengal in the coming days. The western districts are particularly vulnerable to this cold wave.

Dense fog has enveloped several South and North Bengal districts, significantly reducing visibility. The northern districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Malda North, and Dinajpur South are experiencing the most severe fog conditions, with visibility dropping to as low as 50-200 metres. The Alipore Meteorological Department has issued a warning regarding the dense fog. The minimum temperature has dropped to 13 degrees in Sriniketan and 14 degrees in Jhargram. The temperature in Burdwan is 15 degrees.

A cyclone is currently brewing over south Bangladesh, which may indirectly influence the weather patterns in West Bengal. However, there is no immediate threat of rain or thunderstorms in the state, according to the IMD.

Kolkata is also experiencing a drop in temperatures, with night temperatures falling to 18 degrees Celsius and day temperatures around 27.5 degrees Celsius. The city is expected to remain clear and dry for the next six days, with light fog likely in the morning, according to a weather official.