Kolkata, 18 May (H.S.): Weather conditions deteriorated across several districts of north Bengal on Monday, prompting the India Meteorological Department to issue orange and yellow alerts for thunderstorms, gusty winds and rain over the next few hours.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata advised the administration to remain alert and urged people to take precautionary measures.

According to the weather office, orange alerts have been issued for Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Dakshin Dinajpur districts.

These areas are likely to experience light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and wind speeds of 40-50 kmph, the IMD said.

Yellow alerts have meanwhile been sounded for parts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Uttar Dinajpur districts, where thunderstorms with wind speeds of 30-40 kmph are expected.

The IMD also warned of possible lightning strikes and advised people to avoid open fields and sheltering under trees during the storm activity.

In Kolkata, the weather department said the sky is likely to remain partly cloudy over the next 24 hours, with chances of thundercloud development in some areas.

The maximum temperature in the city is expected to hover around 36 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature may remain close to 28 degrees Celsius.

On Monday morning, Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 35.8 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 29 degrees Celsius, which was 2.3 degrees above normal.

Humidity levels remained high, with maximum relative humidity recorded at 89 per cent and minimum at 63 per cent.

No rainfall was recorded in the city between 6:30 am on May 17 and 6:30 am on May 18, the weather office added.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey