At 16.3ºC, city records lowest temp, mercury to dip further

Kolkata: The MeT office on Monday said weather might remain unchanged for the next 24 hours. Kolkata registered its lowest temperature at 16.3 degree Celsius, which was 2 degree above normal. The mercury is expected to slide down from Wednesday.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore said that rain may stop from Tuesday. A fluctuation in temperature over the last 2-3 days might trigger viral infection the symptom of which is similar to Covid, said Dr Swapan Biswas, a senior physician.

A fluctuating weather and the rise and fall in the mercury in quick succession are causing infections among the people, said the city doctors.

The city and various other south Bengal districts have been receiving some spells of light rainfall for the past two days.

On Sunday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 16.8 degrees Celsius, as against 17.4 degrees on Saturday.

The city doctors have advised the patients, who have mild symptoms, to consult doctors and undergo Covid tests. They have also advised the patients not to take medicines on their own. Some infections are common at this time of the year when the temperature fluctuates. The fall in temperature and unseasonal rainfall may trigger viral infections, warned doctors.

According to the MeT office prediction, the temperature may dip to 12 to 13 degrees Celsius by January 27 to 28. People in various south Bengal districts will also see misty mornings on Tuesday and Wednesday. A trough of low pressure extending from Bihar to Odisha has led to the arrival of a western disturbance over northwest India.

People in both north and south Bengal have been experiencing mist in the morning in the past few days.

The city on last Monday witnessed the coldest day of this month on 17 January with mercury plunging down below 13 degree Celsius. The temperature dropped by about 3 degrees in the city and adjoining areas on that day.