West Bengal to ring in warmer but wet New Year: Met forecast

Capital Kolkata saw a slight improvement in minimum temperature on Monday at 11.3°C from Saturday’s 11.1°C. The day temperature, however, shot up to 22.5°C from Saturday’s 19°C. While Kolkata was warmest in the state, Kalimpong recorded a minimum temperature of 4 degrees Celsius, the lowest.

Cold wave is likely to abate from several parts of West Bengal, predicted the weather department, however, the conditions will continue to remain same in Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum,West Burdwan, Murshidabad, Malda and North and South Dinajpur districts. “Isolated to fairly widespread rainfall is very likely over West Bengal during 1-3 January, 2020,” said an official.

“Some places of West Burdwan, Birbhum and Purulia are likely to receive light rainfall. Light to moderate rain is very likely at many places in Gangetic West Bengal and a few places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal. Thunderstorm with lightening is likely at some places over Bankura, Birbhum, Purulia, Jhargram, East and West Midnapore and East and West Burdwan districts of Gangetic West Bengal,” said Dr G K Das, Director (Weather) at Regional Meteorological Centre.

The Met department said the minimum temperature could rise to 13°C to 15°C on January 3, but the day temperature is likely to remain between 18°C and 20°C, a few notches below normal, due to the rain. “Darjeeling may snow early in the year,” said an official.