Intense spell pounds north, east Kolkata; south escapes with light rain
Times of India | 9 September 2026According to meteorologists, the monsoon trough is passing through Digha at present. In addition, there is heavy moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal where a low-pressure area is likely to form by Friday.
“We are also getting two opposing wind systems — the westerly and easterly — at two different levels. This, combined with the monsoon flow and the moisture incursion, is leading to formation of strong thunder cells over many parts of south Bengal. Pockets that were closer to the orientation of the thunderstorm cells got sharper rain on Tuesday. We expect similar thunder showers on Wednesday but the intensity is likely to reduce by Thursday,” said HR Biswas, head at the Regional Meteorological Centre, Kolkata.
Meteorologists said that thunder cell formation during monsoon happens within a short span of time and radars pick up these cells only when they maturate. Conditions for the formation of such thunder cells are still conducive and hence the city is likely to get more showers on Wednesday.
Under normal conditions, Kolkata should get a monthly cumulative rain amount of 311 in Sept. The Met office has already recorded close to 280 mm of rainfall in the first eight days of the month.
Some places along EM Bypass recorded close to 50 mm rain between 1 pm and 3 pm on Tuesday. During the same period, areas like Lake Town, Salt Lake, Belgachhia, Beliaghata, Maniktala and Ultadanga recorded between 30 and 40 mm. Localities in the south like Chetla, Kalighat and Ballygunge recorded between 2 and 10 mm.
According to an IMD special bulletin, the monsoon trough now passes through Firozpur, Muzaffarnagar, Basti, Dehri and Digha. A low-pressure area is likely to form over west-central-northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coasts around Sept 11.
“In view of favourable wind pattern in lower and mid tropospheric levels, thunderstorm with lightning and associated heavy rain (7-11 cm) activity very likely to occur at one or two places over some districts of Bengal during Sept 8-9,” said the bulletin.
The expected low-pressure area, however, is likely to have less impact in Bengal this time. “Apart from rough sea that would warrant alert for fishermen, the low-pressure area is unlikely to impact Bengal much in terms of rainfall,” added Biswas.
