Kolkata, 27 April (H.S.): Amid intense summer heat, the Alipore Meteorological Department has brought some relief with its latest forecast. There is a strong possibility of Kalbaisakhi (nor’wester thunderstorms) across South Bengal, including Kolkata. The city witnessed a cloudy sky since morning on Monday. Although no rainfall occurred on Sunday, overcast conditions helped bring down the temperature slightly.
According to the weather office, scattered thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and rain are likely across South Bengal. Gusty winds with speeds of 40–50 km/h are also expected. In some districts, the intensity of storms may be higher, prompting an Orange Alert. These districts include North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, West Midnapore, Bankura, East Bardhaman, West Bardhaman, Birbhum, Murshidabad, and Nadia. Hailstorms are also likely on Monday in Bankura and West Midnapore.
In North Bengal, heavy rainfall warnings have been issued. Districts such as Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, and Alipurduar are expected to receive heavy rain until Thursday, while Cooch Behar remains under alert until Tuesday. Other districts may experience scattered thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds of 40–50 km/h. Adverse weather conditions may persist in North Bengal for the next seven days.
The Meteorological Department has indicated that due to these storm activities, temperatures across both North and South Bengal may drop by 3–4°C over the next five days.
Sea conditions are also rough, with wind speeds ranging from 40–50 km/h and gusts reaching up to 60 km/h. As a result, the sea along the coasts of West Bengal and adjoining North Odisha remains turbulent. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea until Wednesday.
The current weather pattern is attributed to a cyclonic circulation over northeast Jharkhand at about 0.9 km above sea level, along with a trough extending up to 3.1 km. These systems are drawing significant moisture from the Bay of Bengal, creating favorable conditions for thunderstorms and rainfall.
On Monday morning, Kolkata recorded a minimum temperature of 27.8°C, which is 1.6°C above normal. On Sunday, the maximum temperature was 33.6°C, about 2°C below normal.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey
