Kolkata, Oct 22 — West Bengal is likely to experience dry weather over the next few days, with a slight chill in the air signalling the gradual arrival of winter, the Meteorological Department said on Thursday.
With no cyclone or depression currently forecast over the Bay of Bengal, West Bengal is unlikely to witness moderate or heavy rainfall in the coming days.
Dry weather and a slight chill in the air are prevailing across West Bengal, marking a familiar transition during the autumn season. The southwest monsoon has begun withdrawing from parts of southern India, while seasonal weather patterns are gradually changing across the country.
The northeast monsoon is influencing Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
According to the Met Office, there will be clear skies in south Bengal as usual. Pleasant weather will remain in the morning and evening. The possibility of discomfort will gradually decrease.
Kolkata and its adjoining districts may, however, experience some discomfort during the morning because of moisture in the air. Weather conditions are expected to be more pleasant in the western districts of the state, particularly during the early morning and evening hours.
Temperatures in the western districts are likely to remain three to four degrees Celsius lower than those in Kolkata and neighbouring areas.
North Bengal, too, is expected to witness dry weather, with pleasant conditions during the morning and evening. The Met office has forecast mainly dry conditions across the northern districts at least until Friday.
“This weather will signal the arrival of winter in the state, especially in north Bengal districts. The night temperature will gradually reduce towards the weekend as well as the day's minimum temperature,” a Met department official said.
On Wednesday, Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 31.09 degrees Celsius, marginally below the normal by 0.05 degrees. The minimum temperature stood at 23.03 degrees Celsius, which was 0.09 degrees below normal.
The relative humidity ranged between 58 and 96 per cent. For Thursday, the Met Office has forecast a clear sky over Kolkata, with the maximum and minimum temperatures expected to hover around 32 degrees and 23 degrees Celsius, respectively.