Written by Debasmita Chowdhury
Bengal is currently experiencing a spell of severe thunderstorms, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing persistent yellow alerts across the region.
This pattern is expected to continue, bringing light to moderate rain and thundershowers to both North and South Bengal, with some areas bracing for heavy rainfall and wind gusts of up to 60 kmph through at least May 24.
In North Bengal, all eight districts —Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, and Malda — remain under continuous surveillance. Isolated heavy rainfall of 7-11 cm is expected in Darjeeling, Uttar Dinajpur, and Cooch Behar on May 23, accompanied by strong winds of 40-50 kmph, which could intensify to 60 kmph in some areas.
From May 25, precipitation in North Bengal is expected to be limited to scattered or isolated rainfall, and maximum daytime temperatures are anticipated to remain stable.
Meanwhile, South Bengal is also preparing for widespread precipitation. Western and northern districts in the region like Purulia, Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, and Murshidabad are likely to experience consistent light to moderate rain and thundershowers on May 23.
Coastal and central districts, including Kolkata, Howrah, and North and South 24 Parganas, will see increasing rainfall intensity in the latter half of May 23. Several districts, including North and South 24 Parganas, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Murshidabad, and Nadia, are forecast to experience wind speeds of 50-60 kmph on either May 21 or May 22.
Murshidabad, in particular, is forecast to receive heavy rainfall of 7-11 cm from May 22 to May 23. After May 23, rainfall in South Bengal will taper off to isolated occurrences by the early morning of May 24, with maximum temperatures holding steady.
Kolkata, after recent significant rainfall, is expected to have a partly cloudy sky turning generally cloudy later today, Thursday, with possible light rain or thundershowers this evening and night. Temperatures are forecast to range between 34 degrees Celsius and 26 degrees Celsius, accompanied by high humidity.
Authorities are strongly advising residents across Bengal to prioritise safety during these severe weather events. This includes staying indoors and avoiding open fields, isolated trees, and water bodies due to the high risk of lightning strikes and potential waterlogging in low-lying areas.
Specific warnings highlight the possibility of damage to standing crops and horticulture, landslides in the hilly regions of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, and urban traffic disruptions. Earlier, a special marine warning was issued for coastal areas, with swell waves of 0.5-0.7 metres predicted between May 20 and 22, urging fishing boats to exercise extreme caution and coastal recreational activities to be carried out with due care.
The author is an intern with The Indian Express