Cold conditions tightened their grip on several parts of West Bengal on Wednesday, with minimum temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius in many districts, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Kolkata recorded its lowest minimum temperature of the season on the last day of 2025, settling at 11 degrees Celsius, 2.8 degrees below normal, according to the Met office.
The chill is expected to persist in the sub-Himalayan districts for at least a week, with minimum temperatures likely to drop by two to three degrees further during the weekend, the IMD said. Light rain or snowfall is also forecast in the upper reaches of Darjeeling district over the next three days.
Darjeeling emerged as the coldest place in the state on Wednesday, recording a minimum temperature of 3.4 degrees Celsius. Other sub-Himalayan districts, including Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, and Alipurduar, are likely to experience light rain during the same period.
Across the plains, Sriniketan reported the lowest minimum temperature at 6.5 degrees Celsius. Several other locations recorded sub-10-degree readings, including Kalyani (7 °C), Bardhaman (8 °C), Bankura (8 °C), Kalimpong (8.3 °C), Panagarh (9.2 °C), and Kalaikunda (9.4 °C).
Residents of south Bengal, however, may get some relief from the cold, with minimum temperatures expected to rise gradually by two to three degrees Celsius over three days starting Friday.
The Met office has also warned of light to moderate fog across all districts of West Bengal during the morning hours over the next four days.