The ongoing cold spell in West Bengal has turned a little milder over the past few days, with temperatures stabilising marginally. In Kolkata, where the minimum temperature had dipped to around 10 degrees Celsius last week, it has now risen to the 12–13 degrees range. Despite this increase, temperatures are still below normal, which is why the cold conditions continue to be felt across the city.
For nearly the last 20 to 25 days, Kolkata and the rest of West Bengal have been experiencing an uninterrupted wintry spell. Such a long and consistent phase of cold weather without major breaks is considered rare for the region.
Meteorologically, a change is expected after January 17. Back-to-back western disturbances over north India are likely to alter the wind pattern in eastern India. As a result, winds over West Bengal may start blowing from the southerly direction, allowing temperatures to climb to around 15–16 degrees Celsius.
However, these western disturbances are also expected to cause heavy snowfall in the western Himalayan region. Once they move away, colder air may once again flow into eastern India. This could lead to another drop in temperatures, bringing back stronger winter conditions in West Bengal, especially over south Bengal, during the last week of January.