Kolkata, Jan. 12 -- The cold spell returned across West Bengal on Monday, with minimum temperatures dropping by two to three degrees Celsius after a brief rise on Sunday. Kolkata and several south Bengal districts had recorded a near four-degree increase in minimum temperatures a day earlier, but the mercury dipped again, marking a fresh intensification of winter during Paush.

In Kolkata, the minimum temperature fell from 15 degrees Celsius on Sunday to 12.4 degrees Celsius on Monday, which is 1.4 degrees below normal. The city's maximum temperature on Sunday remained subdued at 23.9 degrees Celsius, 0.9 degrees below normal. The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Alipore has forecast a severe cold wave across the state. "There is no possibility of respite from the cold at this time. The biting cold will continue through Makar Sankranti (January 14), and there will be no significant change in temperature over the next four to five days," an RMC official said.

Kalyani in Nadia district emerged as the coldest place in south Bengal on Monday, recording a minimum temperature of 7.5 degrees Celsius, replacing Sriniketan in Birbhum, which logged 10.8 degrees Celsius. Darjeeling remained the coldest in the state, with the mercury dipping to 3.6 degrees Celsius.

Other minimum temperatures recorded included 9.8 degrees Celsius in Jhargram, 9.2 degrees in Asansol, 10 degrees in Suri, Barrackpore and Berhampore, 10.7 degrees in Basirhat, 11.4 degrees in Purulia, 10.8 degrees in Burdwan, 10.4 degrees in Canning and 10.1 degrees in Bankura.

A fog warning has been issued across the state. Light to moderate fog is expected in south Bengal, reducing visibility to between 200 and 999 metres. Dense fog is likely in north Bengal districts such as Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and North Dinajpur, where visibility may drop to around 50 metres.

The Alipore Meteorological Office said minimum temperatures across most districts will remain between 11 and 13 degrees Celsius, with colder conditions of 7-10 degrees Celsius in western districts. North Bengal is expected to see stable temperatures, dry weather and continued fog over the next few days.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.