Kolkata experiences coldest day of the season

Kolkata: The mercury in the city on Saturday plunged to 10.6 degree Celsius making it the coldest day of the season. The cold wave continues to sweep through various South Bengal districts.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre at Alipore, the cold wave conditions will prevail for the next three days following which the situation may slightly improve.

"The minimum temperature may drop below 10 degree Celsius in the next four days. The cold wave conditions may prevail across the city and some districts as well. The winter chill has intensified due to the uninterrupted flow of northwesterly, bringing in the cold wave to the South Bengal districts," a senior official of the Alipore Met office said on Saturday.

The lowest temperature in the city touched 10.6 degree Celsius on Saturday, taking it three degrees below normal, while the highest temperature remained at 23 degree Celsius during the day. In most parts of the South Bengal districts, the temperature remained 4-5 degrees below normal

on Saturday.

According to the weather office, the temperature in Dum Dum touched 8.7 degree Celsius. Murshidabad recorded 7.2 degree Celsius, Bankura 8.9 degree, Midnapore 9 degree and Burdwan 7.8 degree. The North Bengal districts such as Cooch Behar touched 5.7 degree Celsius and Jalpaiguri 6.8 degree. Darjeeling on Saturday recorded 0.2 degree Celsius and witnessed the first snowfall after almost one decade. The Met office also said the visibility would considerably reduce in several parts of the South Bengal districts during the morning hours due to mist in the next few days.

The mist will clear as the day will progress. "The temperature may drop slightly below 10 degree Celsius in the next couple of days. People in South Bengal will continue to feel the winter chill till the beginning of the new year. The situation will improve gradually," the weather official said.