Kolkata woke up to a sharper winter chill on Christmas morning as temperatures dipped across West Bengal. Kolkata recorded a minimum of 13.7 degrees Celsius, the lowest so far this season, making it one of those rare December mornings when shawls stayed firmly in place even after sunrise.
The contrast was starker in the hills. Darjeeling emerged as the coldest spot in the state, with the mercury sliding to 4.5 degrees Celsius. The familiar winter haze over the tea gardens and early morning fog on winding roads underscored a classic hill-station Christmas.
The India Meteorological Department said temperatures may fall further by two to three degrees Celsius in parts of the state over the next few days. Dry weather is expected to prevail for about a week, though shallow to moderate fog could settle over districts during the early hours, a reminder for commuters and travellers to take precautions.
Elsewhere in north Bengal, Alipurduar recorded 8 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the plains, while Sriniketan in Birbhum logged 8.5 degrees. Suri touched 9 degrees, Bankura 9.1, Burdwan 10, Cooch Behar 10.1 and Berhampore 10.4 degrees Celsius.