Kolkata has witnessed its coldest day in January in 15 years, with the minimum temperature plummeting to 10.2 degrees Celsius, recorded by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD further stated that winter will further intensify in the southern part of West Bengal in the next two days.
Coldest January morning in over a decade
The mercury had dropped to a mere 10.2 degrees Celsius, with this being the lowest in the month of January since 2009. Records indicate that in the last 15 years, the minimum temperature in this city has fallen to less than 11 degrees Celsius only once, which occurred in 2023, with a minimum of 10.9 degrees Celsius. The sudden drop in temperature was accompanied by chilly winds, making the early mornings extremely harsh for the citizens. The streets looked relatively deserted compared to normal, with people venting out in full winter gear.
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Fog and cold day conditions across Bengal
The IMD stated that thick fog will persist over all districts of north Bengal for the next few days, especially during early morning hours. The density of the fog will hamper visibility, especially when travelling by road and train.
IMD said, "Cold day conditions are also likely in parts of Dakshin Dinajpur, Uttar Dinajpur, and Malda."
The department further urged people to be vigilant due to the cold wave gripping the region. The elderly and those with health conditions have been asked to be extra cautious.
Airlines issue advisories amid poor visibility
The cold wave, along with dense fog, has started to impact air traffic at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. Airlines such as IndiGo, as well as SpiceJet, have started warning passengers through travel advisories.
“Due to bad weather (poor visibility) in Kolkata (CCU), all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may be affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status via spicejet.com/#status," the airline wrote on X.
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Similarly, SpiceJet also warned the passengers about possible irregularities at the CCU airport, attributing it to the bad weather and low visibility.
Passengers are advised to check their flight status before going to the airport, as winter weather conditions are affecting flights in and around the airport in Kolkata.
