Kolkata, Aug 17 — Due to the combination of an active low‑pressure area and monsoon winds, the Met Office on Monday predicted heavy rain across South Bengal districts, including Kolkata, for the next two days.
The Met Office issued a red alert for heavy to very heavy rain for Bankura, West Midnapore and Jhargram districts on Monday and Tuesday.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Kolkata said the low‑pressure area formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal has become more pronounced in the last few hours. It is expected to strengthen and turn into a depression by Monday.
The monsoon axis extends over the low‑pressure area to the Bay of Bengal via Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. As a result, continuous heavy rain will occur in south Bengal till Tuesday.
On Monday, very heavy rainfall is likely in Howrah, Hooghly, Purulia, East Burdwan, West Burdwan, South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts. Heavy rainfall will occur in Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Birbhum, Murshidabad and Nadia districts.
On Tuesday, isolated heavy rainfall is also likely in West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, West Burdwan and Birbhum districts. The remaining districts of south Bengal will experience rain with thundershowers. Rain will decrease in south Bengal from Tuesday evening onwards. No further weather warning has been issued for now.
Due to the low pressure, gale‑force winds are blowing in the sea at speeds of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the north Bay of Bengal off the West Bengal and Odisha coasts till Tuesday.
Meanwhile, heavy rain will continue in north Bengal till Tuesday. Heavy rain is likely in Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong districts on Monday, while Alipurduar and Darjeeling districts are expected to receive heavy rain on Tuesday. Scattered rains with thundershowers will continue in North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Malda and Cooch Behar till Tuesday.
Since Monday morning, Kolkata has witnessed heavy rain, leaving several areas waterlogged. Continuous rainfall has slowed traffic in and around the city. The minimum temperature in Kolkata on Monday morning was 25 degrees Celsius, 1.5 degrees below normal. Sunday's maximum temperature was 30 degrees Celsius, 1.9 degrees below normal.