Foggy mornings, chilly nights to continue in West Bengal throughout first week of the year: IMD
Indian Express | 3 January 2025
West Bengal is experiencing a wave of bone-chilling winter with no significant change in minimum temperatures expected in the next few days. However, there’s a chance of rain in some North Bengal districts over the weekend, including Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Kalimpong. These areas might see light rain or even snowfall, particularly in the hilly regions. At present, Darjeeling is experiencing a temperature of 14 degree Celsius while the highest temperature on Thursday is expected to be the same. The lowest temperature is expected to dip to around 5 degree Celsius. In Purulia, it is currently 20 degree Celsius, warming up slightly to a high of 22 degree Celsius and a low of 10 degree Celsius. Kalimpong is experiencing a mild day with a current temperature of 18 degree Celsius and an expected low of 8 degree Celsius. “While South Bengal will remain dry, North Bengal is bracing for potential rainfall this weekend. Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Kalimpong are particularly likely to experience light rain or even snowfall, especially in the higher elevations,” said a weather office official. The cold wave has persisted across the state, impacting both urban and rural areas. Kolkata saw a slight dip in minimum temperatures from Wednesday to Thursday, with readings around 14 degrees Celsius. Western districts have recorded even lower temperatures, dipping below 9 degrees. Despite the chill, tourist spots in North Bengal remain crowded with visitors. “Dry weather is most likely to occur over Sikkim and the districts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal. Shallow to moderate fog is likely to prevail at one or two places in the morning over Sikkim, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Malda, and South Dinajpur districts… Dense fog, reducing visibility is likely to prevail in the morning at one or two places in Darjeeling, North Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Coochbehar districts,” the IMD predicted. While South Bengal anticipates dry weather, North Bengal’s forecast includes the possibility of rain on January 7. The Meteorological Department predicts light rain for Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Kalimpong on Saturday and Sunday, with snowfall possible in the hilly terrain. Morning fog is also expected in several districts across both North and South Bengal, including Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Paschim Bardhaman, Nadia, and Murshidabad. A western disturbance, expected to enter northwest India around January 4, may bring a slight rise in temperatures by the weekend. Kolkata’s maximum temperature is expected to remain around 22 degree Celsius. “The strong winds are blocking the entry of cold winds due to the influence of successive western storms. However, a western storm may enter northwest India on January 4. As a result, temperatures may rise over the weekend,” said an official. The minimum temperature in Kolkata was 14.2 degree Celsius early on Wednesday morning. Compared to that, the temperature dropped by one degree on Thursday and stood at 13 degree Celsius. In other words, the mercury dropped by 4 degree Celsius in the first two days of the year.