Kolkata rain is expected to continue across parts of south Bengal for the next couple of days before easing around Mahalaya on Saturday, according to the Met office. The forecast includes thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds, with heavy rainfall of 7-11cm likely in parts of East Burdwan, Nadia and Murshidabad.
Rainfall was uneven across the city on Wednesday. Central Kolkata and parts of south Kolkata received the heaviest showers, while other areas reported little more than a drizzle. The Alipore Met office recorded around 47mm of rain, and heavy rain lashed Park Street around noon.
The Met office said several weather systems are contributing to cloud formation and rainfall across the region. An upper-air cyclonic circulation is positioned over south Jharkhand and adjoining areas. A trough extends from sub-Himalayan Bengal to south interior Karnataka, while another runs from northwest Uttar Pradesh to the northwest Bay of Bengal.
For Thursday, thunderstorms and lightning accompanied by gusty winds of 30-40kmph are very likely at one or two places in all districts of south Bengal. Heavy rainfall of 7-11cm is likely at isolated locations in East Burdwan, Nadia and Murshidabad.
The weather risk is expected to shift on Friday, when thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30-40kmph are likely at one or two places in Nadia and the North and South 24-Parganas. The forecast indicates that rainfall should subside after a couple of days.
The changing weather comes as the southwest monsoon’s withdrawal from eastern India remains incomplete. The withdrawal line is currently passing through Supaul in Bihar, Ranchi in Jharkhand and Raipur in Chhattisgarh, according to a Met report. A Met official said the withdrawal had become somewhat stagnant.
The sky is likely to clear around Mahalaya, after which south Bengal could experience a dry spell. The period immediately following Mahalaya is expected to remain dry, and the Met office could announce the withdrawal of the monsoon if the forecast holds.
There is currently no rain warning for south Bengal from October 10 to 13. The Met office requires three to four consecutive days without rain before declaring the monsoon’s withdrawal. An extended-range forecast had earlier indicated that the monsoon could withdraw from eastern India between October 8 and 14.
