Chilly start to 2026 as Kolkata sees coldest New Year’s Day in 18 years

Kolkata: The city ushered in the New Year with an unusually cold morning, as temperatures on January 1 fell to their lowest level in 18 years.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this marks the coldest New Year’s Day in nearly two decades, with the minimum temperature in the city falling to about 12.9 degrees Celsius, which is roughly 1.7 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average. This is the first time since 2008 that Kolkata has recorded such a low early-January temperature, and there was no rain reported.

The extended cold spell has been accompanied by widespread morning fog across West Bengal, particularly in parts of North Bengal where dense fog and chilly conditions persisted. Several districts, including Alipurduar and Cooch Behar, saw temperatures as low as 12–13 degrees Celsius, while fog covered the skies early in the day.

Looking ahead, the IMD says that the cold conditions will continue for a while, but temperatures are expected to rise slightly over the next 2–3 days.In Kolkata, the minimum temperature is forecast to move closer to 13 degrees Celsius, and over the first few days of January, it may range between 14–16 degrees Celsius. Morning skies will likely remain cloudy with light to moderate fog, but overall conditions will stay dry.

So, while the city ushered in the year with an unusually cold dawn, a gradual warming trend is expected soon, bringing some relief from the chill without affecting dry weather patterns.