Scattered thunderstorms in south Bengal, no respite from heat soon: Met
The Statesman | 10 June 2025
Scattered thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning and gusty winds are expected across Kolkata and other parts of south Bengal on Saturday, the regional weather office in Alipore said.
However, despite brief spells of rain, temperatures are set to rise by up to four degrees Celsius over the next few days, offering little relief from sultry conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for Saturday in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, the twin 24-Parganas, and parts of West and East Midnapur, forecasting thunderstorms with wind speeds of 30-40 km/h. No weather alerts are in place for Sunday or Monday, when mainly dry conditions are expected. “The temperature is expected to increase gradually across both north and south Bengal over the next four days,” the IMD said. “Maximum daytime temperatures could rise by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius, while humidity levels will remain high, especially in southern districts.”
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Despite late night and morning showers, the weather turned hot and uncomfortable later in the day on Friday, with Kolkata recording a high of 34.6°C – 0.6°C below normal – and a low of 22.6°C, which was 4.6°C below the seasonal average. Rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours stood at 40.5 mm. Humidity levels ranged between 54 per cent and 98 per cent.
On Saturday, Kolkata recorded a minimum temperature of 22.6 degrees Celsius, which was 4.6 degrees below normal. Weather officials said south Bengal is unlikely to see the arrival of the monsoon in the immediate future. “Monsoon has officially entered parts of north Bengal, but its progress southward remains slow,” an official at the Alipore Meteorological Centre noted.
Over the weekend, hot and dry weather is expected to persist in districts including Howrah, Hooghly, Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia, and both Burdwan and Murshidabad. Rain chances are slim until Thursday, when light showers and thunderstorms may return. In north Bengal, scattered rain and thunderstorms are likely on Saturday across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar. Gusty winds of up to 40 km/h may also sweep these areas. No weather warnings are in place beyond Sunday, although light to moderate rainfall is expected to continue throughout the week. The likelihood of heavy rain remains low. Meanwhile, the districts of Malda and the twin Dinajpurs are forecast to experience hot and muggy conditions, with no significant rainfall in the next few days.