“Weather is a great metaphor for life
Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad
And there is nothing much you can do about
Except carry an umbrella”
-Terri Guillemets.
We’ve studied about the four seasons our mother nature has provided us to enjoy. I’ve been to parts of India and felt just the same. Winters are cold and chilly, summers are hot and sultry, monsoons are cool and fresh, and autumns are calm and breezy. But when it comes to Kolkata, I don’t know why everything just gets all twisted. ‘In Kolkata, it’s HOT except when it’s NOT’.
| Climate data for Kolkata (1971–1990) | |||||||||||||
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.6 | 36.4 | 39.4 | 41.5 | 43.3 | 43.0 | 39.7 | 35.5 | 36.2 | 35.3 | 34.3 | 32.3 | 43.3 |
| Average high °C (°F) | 26.4 | 29.1 | 33.5 | 35.3 | 35.4 | 34.0 | 32.3 | 32.1 | 32.4 | 32.3 | 30.3 | 27.0 | 31.7 |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 20.1 | 23.0 | 27.6 | 30.2 | 30.7 | 30.3 | 29.2 | 29.1 | 29.1 | 28.2 | 24.9 | 20.8 | 26.93 |
| Average low °C (°F) | 13.8 | 16.9 | 21.7 | 25.1 | 26.0 | 26.5 | 26.1 | 26.1 | 25.8 | 23.9 | 19.6 | 14.5 | 22.2 |
| Record low °C (°F) | 8.2 | 8.1 | 12.7 | 16.1 | 19.6 | 21.4 | 23.1 | 22.7 | 22.7 | 18.7 | 12.0 | 9.7 | 8.1 |
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 11 | 30 | 35 | 60 | 142 | 288 | 411 | 349 | 288 | 143 | 26 | 17 | 1,800 |
| Avg. rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 1.2 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 4.8 | 8.7 | 14.7 | 20.5 | 20.2 | 15.7 | 8.1 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 101.5 |
| % humidity | 66 | 58 | 58 | 66 | 70 | 77 | 83 | 83 | 81 | 73 | 67 | 68 | 70.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 204.6 | 203.4 | 226.3 | 234.0 | 226.3 | 123.0 | 93.0 | 105.4 | 117.0 | 182.9 | 192.0 | 204.6 | 2,112.5 |
| Source: Hong Kong Observatory, NOAA (extremes, mean, humidity, 1971-1990) [71] |
“Kolkata is subject to a tropical wet-and-dry climate; the annual mean temperature being 26.8 °C; monthly mean temperatures are 19–30°C. Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with temperatures in the low 30s Celsius; during dry spells, maximum temperatures often exceed 40 ° in May and June. Winter lasts for only about two-and-a-half months, with seasonal lows dipping to 9–11 °C in December and January. May is the hottest month, with daily temperatures ranging from 27–37 °C; January, the coldest month, has temperatures varying from 12–23 °C”; well this is what I read once in a website about Kolkata’s climate, and the funny part was I was sarcastically laughing all along. Whatever the weather man says, or whatever people say about the city climate, it’s always hot for me.
"Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it."- Charles D Warner; Yes I know I am talking about the same issue many have been doing for long, but as usual nobody does a twig’s worth of act, or takes a single step towards making this beautiful city really BEAUTIFUL to live in.
I am from Shiliguri and I’m used to and partial to cold climate. Lowest recorded temperature back home was 2 °C. Well I guess you must have understood by now why I am whining about the weather. I came here to study, and the weather is one aspect which isn’t favourable at all.
![clip_image002[6]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-663yeLqLqzU/UpHtRsZx77I/AAAAAAAAAZM/6N-K-3-hBNc/s1600-h/clip_image002%25255B6%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "clip_image002[6]")
Air Pollution, like any other metropolitan city of India, is one of the reasons for the rising average temperatures. The main discomfort factor in the summers is the humidity. We sweat so much that it drains out a lot of water. The city schools just give a month for summer vacations, but it’s definitely not sufficient.
The weather during the winter is pretty pleasant in Kolkata. The early mornings are foggy here. The temperature varies between 12°C to14°C and does not go below 10°C.
![clip_image004[6]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Qv9pZlp7FOg/UpHtTF67nlI/AAAAAAAAAZc/pgp7U72uzu0/s1600-h/clip_image004%25255B6%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "clip_image004[6]")
Monsoon (June to September) brings a major portion of annual rainfall and submerge parts of the city, a major concern due to poor drainage and sewage system. Though the weather is cool, the humidity rises. In April–June, the city is struck by heavy rains or dusty squalls followed by thunderstorms or hailstorms, bringing cooling relief from the prevailing humidity.
![clip_image006[6]](http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8oeBnqazHpU/UpHtUbyV-_I/AAAAAAAAAZs/HnXhmBrGIyQ/s1600-h/clip_image006%25255B6%25255D%25255B2%25255D.jpg "clip_image006[6]")
If you’re a tourist and planning to visit the city at this time of the year, take it from me, it’s a big NO. The days are hot, humid and sticky, and the nights are sweaty and again unimaginably hot. Carrying an umbrella at all times is a must. You cannot actually say that if winter is near, then why am I sweating like this. Even winter afternoons are warm.
In my opinion, the Kolkatan’s are mostly used to this climate, but for me, an outsider, it is really uncomfortable. Tomorrow or maybe the day after, I’ll also get used to it, but for now, “Kolkata, Why So HOT??!!”
No comments:
Post a Comment