The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued heavy rainfall and thunderstorm warnings for several districts of southern West Bengal today as a low-pressure area intensifies over the northern Bay of Bengal.
Cloudy skies and light rain were reported in Kolkata since early Thursday, with conditions expected to worsen through the day. According to the IMD, the system may lead to widespread rainfall activity and gusty winds across southern parts of the state, including the metropolis.
From Thursday onwards, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in several districts, with extremely heavy rain (ranging from 7 to 20 cm) forecast for North and South 24-Parganas and East Midnapore. An orange alert has been issued for these districts. Other districts, including West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura, Purulia, Nadia and Murshidabad, are likely to receive heavy rainfall, with alerts continuing into Friday.
On Saturday, districts such as Hooghly, Birbhum, East and West Burdwan are expected to see heavy rain, while rainfall is forecast to continue in Birbhum, Murshidabad, and both Burdwan districts on Sunday. Weather conditions are likely to remain unsettled across South Bengal until at least Monday. Wind speeds are expected to reach 30 to 40 kmph in some areas.
In Kolkata, thunderstorm activity accompanied by lightning is also likely. Due to rough sea conditions, fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea between Thursday and Sunday. Rising river water levels may also lead to inundation of low-lying areas in the region, authorities said. In North Bengal, light to moderate rainfall with isolated thunderstorms is forecast from Thursday, with wind gusts similar to the southern region. A yellow alert has been issued for heavy rain in Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong on Friday, while Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar may see heavy showers on Saturday.
Rain is likely to continue in Darjeeling and Kalimpong on Sunday. Kolkata recorded a minimum temperature of 28.3 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning, which was 1.8 degrees above normal. The maximum temperature on Wednesday stood at 35.2 degrees Celsius, 3.2 degrees above normal.