The India Meteorological Department has issued heatwave warnings for four South Bengal districts for Sunday: North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, West Midnapore, and West Burdwan. Temperatures are likely to drop by two to three degrees only after April 4, with the mercury expected to remain three to five degrees above normal for the next two days.

While there is no immediate relief in the form of rain expected in South Bengal, the IMD has predicted a drop in minimum temperatures by two to three degrees in the next three days, including in Kolkata. However, this dip is unlikely to significantly alleviate the discomfort, as maximum temperatures are expected to remain three to five degrees above normal.

Kolkata experienced a maximum temperature of 36.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday, two degrees above the average for this time of the year. The minimum temperature recorded in the city on Sunday was 27.5 degrees Celsius, which is 2.9 degrees higher than normal. For Sundy, the forecast for Kolkata is mainly clear skies, with the maximum and minimum temperatures likely to hover around 37 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The IMD has said that while the heat may be tolerable for most, children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing health conditions are urged to avoid going outdoors between 11 am and 4 pm and to stay hydrated by drinking water frequently, even if they do not feel thirsty.

North Bengal is expected to remain mostly dry. The IMD predicts no significant change in temperatures in the eight districts of North Bengal over the next five days.

“Yesterday, the lowest minimum temperature in the region was recorded at Phulbani (Orissa) at 17°C in the plains and at Darjeeling PTO (West Bengal) at 10.4°C in the hills. The highest maximum temperature was recorded at Panagarh (West Bengal) and Jharsuguda (Odisha) at 41.4°C in the plains and at Kalimpong (West Bengal) at 27°C in the hills,” an IMD official said in a statement.