On Wednesday, Kolkata experienced a maximum temperature of 37 degree Celsius, accompanied by hot and discomforting weather conditions, taking the maximum humidity to 91 per cent.
The IMD issued a yellow alert on Thursday in several districts, including North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata, Purulia, Jhargram, Bankura, West Midnapore, East Burdwan, West Burdwan, Murshidabad, and Nadia.
In Bankura, Bishnupur, and Panaghar, the maximum daytime temperatures hover around 39 Celsius, while in Burdwan, Baharampur, Krishnanagar, Murshidabad, and Sriniketan, temperatures ranged from 36 to 37 degree Celsius, said a weather official.
According to the IMD forecast, the weather will remain dry with increasing humidity in the city. Additionally, daytime temperatures are forecasted to rise by 2-4 degrees Celsius over the next three days, officials said.
From Saturday, light rain is likely to occur at one or two places in South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura, and West Burdwan.
In the northern part, thunderstorms are expected to accompany several districts until Sunday. Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, and Malda are under a yellow alert for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 30-40 kmph) likely at one or two places until Saturday, IMD said.
On Wednesday, Darjeeling recorded a maximum temperature of 19.4 degree Celsius, Kalimpong 24 degree Celsius, Jalpaiguri, Coochbehar, and Siliguri 34 degree Celsius, and Malda 38 degrees Celsius.
How to stay safe in extreme heat
* Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
* Avoid strenuous activity during the hottest part of the day, typically between 11 am and 4 pm.
*Wear loose, light-coloured clothing made from breathable fabrics like cotton.
* Stay indoors if possible, and use air conditioning or fans to keep cool.
* If you must go outside, wear sunscreen and a hat to protect yourself from the sun.
* Look out for vulnerable individuals, especially elderly people and young children, who may be more susceptible to heatstroke.