Kolkata shivers as mercury plunges to 11.2 degree Celsius

Kolkata: The city on Monday witnessed the coldest day of the season as the mercury plunged down to 11.2 degree Celsius which was 4 degree below normal. Many of the western districts have seen a further drop in the temperature with mercury going below 10 degree Celsius. Cold wave condition will prevail in all the Western districts in the next couple of days, MeT office predicted.

Mercury started dropping gradually from the last week as there was a steady flow of cold north wind after the low pressure ceased to have an effect on the weather system. According to the MeT office prediction, the cold wave condition will prevail in all the south Bengal districts in the next couple of days after which the mercury may take an upturn. Lowest temperature on Saturday remained at around 13.5 degree Celsius. Lowest temperature dropped at around 12 degree Celsius in the last week.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore predicted that mercury will slide up by around 2-3 degree Celsius during Christmas. Temperature will remain at around 11-12 degree Celsius in most of the South Bengal districts on Tuesday. It may be mentioned here that the lowest temperature has already hit around 7-8 degree Celsius in various Western districts. Mercury has already hit 3.5 degree Celsius, Coochbehar 9 degree Celsius,

Temperature in the western districts of Bengal may remain below 9 degree Celsius in the next couple of days as a cold wind will sweep through the entire region. The lowest temperature in Bankura, Purulia already dropped below 12-13 degree Celsius.

"There will be a steady flow of cold northern wind. The temperature will further plunge down during the night hours. Mercury will drop below 10 degree Celsius in the western districts. Mercury may slide up during Christmas. Night temperature will go up from the night of December 24," a weather official said. Foggy condition will prevail in the morning in all the south Bengal districts for the next couple of days.

Temperature in Panagarh in West Burdwan in Srinikertan in Birbhum and in Purulia has been hovering around 10-12 degrees Celsius.

Temperature in various northern states also dropped by couple of degrees after snowfall occurred in Jammu Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

In Bengal the average lowest average temperature in December this year so far stood at around 13 degree Celsius. During the last year the average lowest temperature remained at around 18 degree Celsius.