Written by Anisha Ghosh

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a Yellow alert (Be Aware) for most South Bengal districts on Sunday afternoon.

The weather bureau predicted light to moderate rainfall with possible thunderstorms in South Bengal districts like Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura, Purulia, East and West Bardhaman, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia, and Kolkata.

State capital Kolkata experienced overcast conditions on Sunday, but there was only 0.4 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 30.4 degree Celsius and a minimum of 26.2 degree Celsius on Sunday. Humidity levels were on the higher side, ranging from 83 per cent to 100 per cent.

Meanwhile, the IMD has put North Bengal districts like Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar under an Orange alert (Be Prepared), expecting heavy to very heavy rainfall (7-20 cm) on Sunday.

Darjeeling, Cooch Behar, and Kalimpong are under a Yellow alert and are likely to witness light to moderate rainfall. Warnings have been issued for possible lightning and local flooding in low-lying areas across the region.

In its bulletin, the IMD also stated that a “trough runs from cyclonic circulation associated with the well-marked low-pressure area over northwest Madhya Pradesh and neighbourhood to northeast Bangladesh across northeast Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and north Gangetic West Bengal between 0.9 to 5.8 km above mean sea level.”

Under the influence of this strong monsoon flow, widespread light to moderate rainfall is very likely to continue over West Bengal, with heavy rainfall activity expected at one or two places in some districts over the next few days.

(Anisha Ghosh is an intern with The Indian Express)