The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (speed reaching 40-50 kmph) accompanied by rain in almost all the districts of West Bengal on Wednesday. There will be a gradual rise in temperature by 3 to 4 degree Celsius during the next three days, it said.

The IMD has also predicted hot and humid weather from Thursday.

“Expect thunderstorms with lightning, strong winds at 40-50 kmph, and light to moderate rain in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, East Burdwan, West Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Nadia until Wednesday. After that, lighter rain may persist for the rest of the week in these areas,” the IMD said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Kolkata recorded 35.3 degree Celsius during the daytime, with the maximum humidity at 87 per cent; while the sky remained partly cloudy at night.

In other parts of south Bengal, the maximum temperature recorded in Purulia was 39.3 degrees, Panaghar 38.6, Bankura 37 degrees, Jhargram, Burdwan and Kalaikunda at 36 degrees Celsius, and Krishnanagar 35.5 degree Celsius during the day time.

In the northern parts of the state, light to moderate rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds blowing at a speed of 40-50 kmph persisted in the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar , Coochbehar, South Dinajpur, North Dinajpur and Malda. Heavy rain (7-11cm) is likely to occur at one or two places of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar on Wednesday.

Darjeeling recorded a maximum temperature of 24 degree Celsius, Kalimpong 25 degrees, Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar around 33-35 degrees on Tuesday. Balurghat was the hottest at 44.5 degree Celsius.

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