Kalbaisakhi lashes at night, showers relief on parched city
Times of India | 27 April 2025
12 Kolkata: Nor'wester lashed Kolkata around 9.30 pm on Saturday, lowering the mercury considerably and bringing relief to the scorched city. The storm was accompanied by gusty winds. Some parts of the city received a steady drizzle, which intensified into a heavy spell of rain.
A private weather forecasting service provider said that after the rain, the temperature at night dropped by 5°C-6°C.
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Successive thunderstorms are predicted in Kolkata and its surrounding districts till Wednesday. Though the thunderstorms—essentially nor'westers—may not be of equal intensity, they could pull down the mercury by three to five degrees over the next three days, said the Met office.
The evening thunderstorm brought relief to the parched city that had until now received two moderate thunderstorms in April, while the mercury soared to 38.2°C last Wednesday, year's highest so far.
Kolkata on Saturday recorded a maximum temperature of 34.2°C and a minimum of 28.3°C. The change in weather was brought in by an alteration in the wind pattern, said the Regional Meteorological Centre on Saturday. "There has been a change in upper air and lower air circulations, making the conditions favourable for convective activity. This happens once enough moisture flows in from the sea and is coupled with local heating. Moisture has already started flowing in, and the impact will first be felt in some of the western districts, like Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram, West Midnapore and West Burdwan, that have been singed by heatwave conditions," said H R Biswas, scientist at RMC.
He added favourable conditions for successive thunderstorms would persist in Kolkata till April 30. "The moisture flow will continue, and the wind pattern will persist till the middle of next week. So, Kolkata and neighbouring districts may continue to get thunderstorms, ending the current scorching spell," said Biswas.
The thunderstorms are likely to pull down the maximum temperature by three to five degrees. It could plunge quickly in the western districts, which are likely to receive nor'westers earlier than Kolkata and more severe ones. "In the city, it could take two to three days for the mercury to plunge by about four degrees. The maximum temperature could slide to 31°C by Tuesday. We expect a similar drop in minimum temperature," said Biswas.
The city was lashed by minor thunderstorms, including the season's first nor'wester on April 17 that helped pull the mercury down.