A wet Thursday morning set the tone for what promises to be a rain-drenched next few days, with the regional Met office forecasting continued showers, gusty winds and potential disruptions across both south and north Bengal.
Rain began early in the city, and overcast skies kept Kolkata in a gloomy grip. The minimum temperature recorded in the morning was 26.8°C, while Wednesday’s maximum had stood at 32.5°C—just below the seasonal average. The Alipore Meteorological Department confirmed the formation of a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal, currently hovering near the coasts of northern Odisha and West Bengal. This system is likely to intensify into a low-pressure area within the next 12 hours, triggering widespread rainfall across the region.
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In South Bengal, all districts are expected to receive light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and winds gusting between 30 to 40 km/h. However, six districts—East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura, Purulia and West Burdwan—are likely to see heavy rainfall, estimated between 7 to 11 cm. Looking ahead, Friday—coinciding with the Ratha Yatra celebrations—may witness an escalation in rainfall intensity, with heavy rain forecast over West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Birbhum and both Burdwan districts.
Coastal areas are also bracing for squally weather, with wind speeds expected to reach 35 to 45 km/h. Rough seas will prevail through the day, and fishermen have been advised against venturing into the waters. Further north, while no specific weather alerts have been issued for Thursday, rainfall is expected across all nine districts of North Bengal. On Friday, heavy showers (7–11 cm) are likely in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar. Some areas in Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar may even witness very heavy rainfall—up to 20 cm in isolated spots.
The weekend may bring more scattered downpours to the Himalayan foothills. The weather office has also forecast light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms across all northern districts over the next five days.