Temperatures dip in N Bengal and Sikkim

SNS, Siliguri, 7 January 2014: There was no respite from the cold wave across north Bengal and Sikkim on Tuesday as the mercury dipped close to the freezing point at several places in the region and a thick blanket of fog enveloped large swathes of the region, disrupting air, road and rail traffic. 

According to Mr Gopi Nath Rath, in-charge of Meteorological Department of Gangtok, Tuesday was the coldest day of the season in Gangtok. “Today was the coldest day of the season in Gangtok so far. The town recorded a low of 3.6 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature was 10.6 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal. At Ghezing, the minimum temperature plummeted to 3.1 degrees Celsius today,” he said. 

The North Bengal University Weather Service Station convener, Mr Subir Sarkar, informed that Tuesday was the coldest day of the season in Silguri as well. “Today was the coldest day of the season so far in the Siliguri sub-division. The minimum and maximum temperatures were almost two-and-half notches below normal at 8.5 and 19.5 degrees Celsius respectively,” he said. 

According to the met office in Kolkata, the mercury remained below the normal level at most places in north Bengal today. “Tuesday was the coldest of this winter in the Hills today and Darjeeling was the coldest place in the region with a minimum temperature of 0.3 degree Celsius, two notches below normal and Kalimpong shivered at 2 degrees Celsius, almost six notches below normal,” a met office spokesperson said. The met office in Gangtok today issued warning of a severe cold wave sweeping the region due to a western disturbance during the next 48 hours. Mr Rath said the sky would remain foggy and overcast during the next 24 hours and the mercury would fall further.

The Kurseong and its adjoining areas have received and felt the first bite of the coldest day ever this winter season. However, since morning a cold chill has swept through the mountainous terrain of Kurseong Sub-division which intensified more in the evening making people scurry into their rooms for warmer woolens or huddle together around coal or wood bonfires. 

 Amidst the chill, fogs have also enveloped the region making the mark of a romantic winter day of the season. The cold that has set in has made the hands and feet chilled, such was the magnitude in a day of winter here. Not only here but the drop of temperature so drastically was felt throughout the hills making room for thoughts of a likely first season of snow in Darjeeling which has so far remained elusive.