Kolkata witnesses coldest January day in 15 years as mercury plunges to 10.2 degree Celsius

Kolkata recorded its coldest January day in the last 15 years on Tuesday as the mercury plunged to 10.2 degrees Celsius, the India Meteorological Department said, as the weather agency forecasted that the winter is set to intensify across southern West Bengal over the next two days.

Kolkata's minimum temperature in January had dipped below 11 degrees Celsius only once in the last 15 years, in 2023, when it touched 10.9 degrees Celsius, as per official data.

In northern West Bengal, IMD has predicted dense fog to prevail across most districts over the next few days, particularly during the early morning hours, leading to reduced visibility.


"Cold day conditions are also likely in parts of Dakshin Dinajpur, Uttar Dinajpur, and Malda," the weather agency said.

The IMD advised people, especially the senior citizens and those with health conditions, to take precautions as the cold spell tightens its grip on the region.

Airlines issue travel advisory for Kolkata

As dense fog and chilled winter continued to rule over the weather statistics of Kolkata, several airlines including IndiGo and SpiceJet issued travel advisories warning of flight disruptions at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.

Visibility at Kolkata remains low, and several flights are now operating with revised timings, IndiGo said in an advisory issued on Wednesday, warning passengers of flight delays and cancellations as the weather showed no signs of improvement.

SpiceJet also warned of flight disruptions on the CCU Airport due to bad weather and poor visibility.