Cold wave conditions likely to reduce

Kolkata: The prevailing cold wave in the city and other South Bengal districts may reduce by the end of the month, predicts the Regional Meteorological Centre at Alipore.

According to a senior Met department official, the mercury in the city is expected soar up by January end. The lowest temperatures in Kolkata and adjoining districts may hover around 12-14 degree Celsius for the next couple of days.

The cold spell returned due to the constant flow of the north-westerly. It intensified in South Bengal districts around three days ago taking the temperature down by a few notches.

On last Thursday, the temperature dipped to 12 degree Celsius because of a low pressure trough created over Bihar constantly injecting moisture into Bengal. Though the temperature slightly shot up, the overall winter chill remained unchanged.

However, the weather department official has not clearly mentioned whether the cold condition is going to withdraw from the city by the beginning of the next month. There is an occasional rise and fall in the temperature during this time of the year but it is difficult to announce if the winter is coming to an end in the early next month, the weather official maintained.

The MeT office also predicted that people will witness misty mornings in the next few days but there is no prediction of rainfall.