Kolkata, Dec 17 (IANS): Christmas is just a week away but where is winter? For the people of Kolkata an opportunity to enjoy their woollens is rare.

There is good news though this time. For the meteorological department has forecast winter is likely to hit West Bengal by the end of the week.

The arrival of winter is expected from mid-December with temperatures in Kolkata and its adjoining districts hovering around 12 degrees Celsius, officials at Alipur met office said.

Temperature has already started dipping from Thursday morning.

Sources said the cold wind from northern India will blow towards Bengal once the cyclone alert disappears over Madhya Pradesh and its surrounding regions.

The temperature may also drop below 10 degrees Celsius in the western districts of Bengal. Some of the western parts of the state may also witness rain, including some parts in Jharkhand.

Temperatures in the western districts have hovered around 10 degrees Celsius in the last few days.