Max temperature plunges 6° to 20°C, makes Kolkata shiver through the day
Times of India | 21 December 2025
Kolkata: A sharp, chilly wind blew through Kolkata, pulling the maximum temperature down by more than 5 degrees on Saturday, leaving the city shivering. While the maximum temperature plunged from 26°C on Friday to 20.7°C on Saturday, the minimum remained unchanged at 16.2°C, narrowing the difference between the two to just 4.5°C. The city could see the mercury drop below 15°C on Dec 26.
A change in wind direction triggered the chill, said the Met office. It was a cool, northeasterly and easterly wind that ushered in a late-Dec bite. It was aided by a cloud cover that blocked out the sunrays from late morning till afternoon. "The period when the sunray intensity is at its peak saw a cloud cover in Kolkata on Saturday. It kept the city cool and brought the maximum temperature down by more than 5°C," said HR Biswas, deputy director-general of meteorology.
He added that the chill was felt more sharply at the lower levels since easterly winds flowed in at a lower height from the direction of Bangladesh. "There were also winds from the northeast that aided the chill. Kolkata is now getting very little northwesterly wind. But since the sunrays were weak, the mercury plunged sharply. Also, there was a lot of moisture that was carried in by the easterly winds. It added to the chill by adding a wet feel to the winds," added Biswas. The maximum temperature is set to jump back to 25°C on Sunday while the minimum will remain 16°C.
The chilly northwesterly winds are set to return post-Christmas. "From Dec 26, the minimum temperature could drop 2°C and plunge to 14°C. The drop is expected around Christmas and could occur a day early," said Biswas.
It felt like 17°C on Saturday evening, according to private weather forecasting service Accuweather.
This Dec has been chillier than usual with the minimum temperature hovering around 15°C-16°C consistently since the second week of the month. It plunged below 15°C twice this month, touching 14.8°C and a lowest of 14.5°C. The average temperature for the month has been the lowest in a decade so far.
The beginning of Dec saw northwesterly winds flowing at a fair speed, which kept the minimum temperature hovering steadily around 15°C for a week. It rose marginally to touch 17-18°C, but dropped again to settle around 15°C. Neighbouring Dum Dum and Salt Lake have often remained a degree cooler.
"It will continue to be cool and pleasant over the next one week. Since there is no system in the region, northerly winds will return after Christmas. The minimum will remain around 15°C and drop marginally below the mark during the last week of December. The maximum should remain around 25°C," said a weather scientist.