If you felt cold in the afternoon, it was not because you wanted a siesta after a good lunch.
Despite a break in the slide, the Celsius was still lower than normal for this time of the year. The day was still cold, though not as cold as a couple of days ago.
The maximum temperature on Wednesday was 24.1 degrees, two notches below normal. The minimum was 13.2 degrees, a notch below normal.
Even in the afternoon, Kolkatans did not risk stepping out without warm clothes.
The northwesterly winds have lost steam but their effect still lingers, said a Met official.
The remaining part of 2021, however, is likely to see the mercury rising. As the year-end comes close, the mercury is tipped to rise above normal.
“A strong western disturbance is active over north India. The system will stall the flow of northwesterly winds. As a result, easterly winds from the direction of the Bay will enter Gangetic Bengal,” said G.K. Das, director of IMD, Kolkata.
The rise in the temperature will be gradual. By the time 2021 comes to end, the minimum temperature is likely to be a couple of notches above normal.
The phase of chill that lasted for almost a week in Kolkata was the fallout of the cold wave conditions in northern India.
But the IMD has predicted “abatement” of the “cold wave conditions from northern and central India”.
“Gradual rise in minimum temperatures by 3-5°C very likely over most parts of northwest and central India during the next three days and no significant change thereafter. No significant change in minimum temperatures over most parts of east India during next 24 hours and rise by 2-4°C thereafter,” said a forecast from the IMD office in Delhi.
