South Bengal swelters; no respite from heat in city
The Statesman | 3 June 2025
South Bengal is back in the grip of oppressive heat as temperatures continue to climb steadily.
The city of Kolkata, too, is experiencing rising mercury levels, with the Alipore Meteorological Department reporting no immediate relief in sight. While parts of north Bengal brace for heavy showers, the southern districts are seeing largely dry conditions with only isolated rain expected in the coming days. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), temperatures across both north and south Bengal may rise by two to four degrees Celsius over the next 24 hours.
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Bengal find themselves caught between two extremes — intense heat in the south and heavy downpours in the north
However, the overall forecast does not indicate any significant changes beyond that in the following four days.
On Monday, Kolkata recorded a minimum temperature of 29.2°C – 1.4°C above normal. Sunday’s maximum temperature was 35.4°C, hovering close to the seasonal average. Although the recent spell of rain, triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, brought temporary respite to south Bengal, the system has now dissipated, leaving little chance of further widespread rainfall. The monsoon is yet to arrive in south Bengal, even as it has officially reached the northern part of the state.
Alipore‘s weather office forecasts light, scattered rain in south Bengal’s districts until Friday, though no severe weather alerts have been issued. Meteorologists say the overall weather is expected to remain dry, intensifying the discomfort as humidity levels remain high. Meanwhile, the forecast for north Bengal is markedly different. Heavy rainfall is likely over districts such as Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar on Monday. Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, and North Dinajpur are expected to receive showers accompanied by lightning.
On Tuesday, a thunderstorm alert was issued for Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, and North Dinajpur, while the rest of the northern districts are expected to remain dry throughout the week. Despite the arrival of the southwest monsoon in parts of north Bengal, its progress toward the southern districts remains sluggish. With the monsoon stalling and heat intensifying, much of South Bengal must brace for another spell of sweltering, sticky weather.