Kolkata, 13 May (H.S.) : With the Bengali month of Baishakh nearing its end, heat conditions have started intensifying across several parts of West Bengal. After days of continuous rainfall and gusty winds that had brought pleasant mornings and nights to Kolkata and other districts of south Bengal, the weather has turned warmer over the past couple of days, accompanied by rising humidity and discomfort.

According to the latest update from the India Meteorological Department at Alipore, Kolkata witnessed bright sunshine since Wednesday morning. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 34.6 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, while the minimum temperature stood at 26.8 degrees Celsius.

Weather officials said conditions in Kolkata are expected to remain largely unchanged throughout the day, with little to no possibility of rainfall due to clear skies. High moisture content in the air is likely to increase humidity-related discomfort further. The city’s temperature may rise by another 2 to 3 degrees Celsius by Friday.

South Bengal is also expected to experience increasingly dry weather conditions over the next few days. Rainfall is unlikely in most districts till Saturday, while temperatures may continue to rise gradually. Meteorologists warned that western districts of the region are likely to experience more intense heat, with some areas expected to witness dry and hot winds during the afternoon hours.

In contrast, north Bengal continues to witness active rainfall conditions. Heavy rain is likely to persist across several districts till Saturday.

On Wednesday, heavy rainfall has been forecast in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and North Dinajpur districts. Thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds with speeds of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour are also likely in several areas.

The weather department has predicted thunderstorms and rain in various north Bengal districts on Thursday as well. Heavy rainfall alerts remain in place for Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar districts.

However, meteorologists said rainfall activity is expected to gradually decrease from Friday onward, and temperatures may rise slightly in north Bengal districts after Saturday.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh