Kolkata is in the grip of a remarkably consistent winter chill, with the minimum temperature remaining below 18 degrees Celsius for an unbroken stretch of 21 days this December. The mercury has been steadfastly hovering between 14°C and 17°C, and the Regional Meteorological Centre now forecasts it could drop to around 13°C just in time for Christmas.
Why This Winter Feels So Consistently Cold
According to weather scientists, the key reason for this prolonged and steady cold feeling is the notable absence of disruptive weather systems. Typically, western disturbances or easterly waves create low-pressure areas that cause significant temperature swings, especially in the first half of December. This year, however, Kolkata and the wider region have been spared.
HR Biswas, head of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata, explained the phenomenon. "We often encounter systems like western disturbances that can trigger cloudiness and sometimes rain in December, which in turn causes significant temperature fluctuations," he said. Biswas added that an easterly wave, which is a wind trough, also tends to form low-pressure areas in the month's first half, playing havoc with the mercury.
"Even as such a system was there in the first week this December, it affected only some southern coastal states and not the entire region. Some of these factors have ensured there is no major temperature swing this winter," Biswas stated. He also highlighted that the absence of a strong easterly wind system, notorious for pumping hot and moist air from the Bay of Bengal, has allowed temperatures to stay at or below the normal mark.
A Detailed Look at the Temperature Trend
The month began with Kolkata recording a minimum of 18°C on December 1. It briefly rose to 20°C the next day before falling to 17.7°C on the third. Since that point, the city has not seen the minimum temperature climb back to 18°C.
The real winter chill set in on December 6, when the mercury plunged to 14.5°C, marking the first sub-15°C reading of the season and landing at 2.1 degrees below normal. The cold has held its ground since, with the temperature dipping below the 15°C mark on two more occasions. The season's lowest temperature so far was recorded on a recent Sunday, at a chilly 14.4°C.
What's Next: Colder Days Ahead for Christmas
The prevailing conditions are set to intensify the cold further. Biswas indicated that a dry, chill-bearing northwesterly wind is gradually gaining strength at the lower atmospheric levels. This wind is expected to be the driving force behind pushing the minimum temperature down to approximately 13°C within the next couple of days, coinciding with the Christmas period.
"Even as the early mornings could be a little misty, we can expect sunnier mornings in the next few days," Biswas added, offering a silver lining to residents bundling up against the cold. This combination of clear skies and calm, cold winds is classic for a pronounced winter feel, suggesting Kolkatans are in for a genuinely crisp Christmas weekend.
