Kolkata recorded its coldest January day in 12 years on Tuesday, with the minimum temperature dropping to 10.2°C. This is nearly seven degrees below the seasonal average, prompting residents to scramble for heavy woollens as the city experienced an unusual winter chill.

“As per the weather office, despite such chill, the temperature is yet to break previous records. The lowest minimum temperature in Kolkata in January is 6.7°C, recorded on January 20, 1899. Since 2000, the lowest minimum temperature in January has been 9.0°C on January 9, 2013. Today’s minimum of 10.2°C is not in the list of the city’s top 10 lowest January temperatures,” an official said.

According to the forecast, shallow to moderate fog is expected in the morning, followed by mist in the forenoon and mainly clear skies in the afternoon. The maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be around 18°C and 10°C, respectively.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that while Kolkata is experiencing unusually chilly weather due to active north-westerly winds, it has not officially declared a ‘cold wave’ in the city, as that requires a further drop in minimum temperatures. The ‘cold wave’ conditions are expected to continue until January 7, and a further dip of 2°C is likely in the next two days.

The mercury took a sharp dive across South Bengal, with Sriniketan in Birbhum witnessing freezing temperatures at 6.2°C, and Howrah recording a low of 9°C. In the northern hills, Darjeeling saw temperatures drop to 3.2°C.

A dense fog alert remains in place for several districts, including Murshidabad, Nadia, and North Dinajpur, where visibility may drop below 50 meters. In north Bengal, sub-Himalayan districts like Coochbehar and Jalpaiguri are also under a dense fog warning, with light rain or snow possible in the higher altitudes of Sikkim and Darjeeling.

The dense fog has already begun to impact morning commutes, with slower traffic reported on major highways. Health officials and the IMD have issued an advisory, particularly for the elderly and those with respiratory conditions like asthma or bronchitis, to avoid outdoor exposure during the early morning hours when the air is thickest with fog and pollutants.

Location—Min temp on Jan 6

* Kolkata (Alipore)—10.2°C

* Dum Dum—9.5°C

* Howrah—9.0°C

* Sriniketan—6.2°C

* Darjeeling—3.2°C