Kolkata, Nov 15 — Kolkata and some districts of south Bengal will experience rain and thunderstorms due to the influence of a low-pressure system and a cyclone, which is about to form in the Bay of Bengal and expected to increase in strength and severity, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) here said on Sunday.
The low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal took a clear shape on Saturday and was set to develop into a deep depression. It will gradually gather strength as it moves northwestwards. The system is going to intensify and turn into a cyclone on Monday evening. Meteorologists estimate that a cyclone will form in the middle of the south and adjacent west-central Bay of Bengal. After that, it may move further northwestwards.
The cyclone adjacent to the low-pressure area is at an altitude of 7.6 kilometres above sea level. It is likely to gather strength and intensify early on Wednesday. Due to the influence of the severe cyclone, the wind speed may blow at a speed of 85 to 95 kilometres per hour over the sea. The gusty wind speed may reach 105 kilometres per hour.
Due to the influence of the depression and the cyclone, rain will start in Kolkata from Wednesday and continue at least till Saturday.
That is the forecast for almost all the districts of south Bengal. However, there is a warning of heavy rain in some districts. Heavy rain is likely in South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts from Thursday to Saturday. Apart from this, heavy rain will be experienced in Howrah, Jhargram, and West Midnapore districts on Friday and Saturday. There is no possibility of heavy rain in Kolkata. No warning has been issued for fishermen at sea for now.
The low-pressure area will not affect north Bengal. The weather will remain dry in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar districts. There may be scattered rain in Darjeeling and Kalimpong on Sunday and Monday. After that, dry weather will prevail everywhere in the north. There is no possibility of much change in temperature there for now.
However, in south Bengal, the mercury may rise slightly during the thunderstorms. The meteorological office said that the temperature will not change in the districts of south Bengal for the next three days. The temperature may increase by two to three degrees in the next two days.
The minimum temperature in Kolkata on Sunday morning was 21.7 degrees Celsius, 1.4 degrees higher than normal. The city's maximum temperature on Saturday was 29 degrees Celsius, 1.6 degrees below normal.