Kolkata is staring at a decisive shift into summer, with the India Meteorological Department forecasting a steady rise in day temperatures through the coming week starting Friday, April 10.
The city is expected to remain dry till Thursday, April 16, with little respite from cloud cover or rain. The maximum temperature is likely to climb by 5 to 7 degrees Celsius over the next five days, pushing the mercury into distinctly uncomfortable territory by midweek.
On Friday, April 10, Kolkata is likely to record a maximum of around 34 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 26 degrees Celsius. The heat will gradually build over Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, with maximum temperatures hovering between 35 and 36 degrees Celsius and warm nights offering little relief at around 27 degrees.
By Monday, April 13, the mercury is expected to touch 37 degrees Celsius, accompanied by rising humidity. Tuesday, April 14 and Wednesday, April 15 could see the maximum settle around 38 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures stay close to 28 degrees, making conditions increasingly oppressive.
Thursday, April 16 is likely to bring similar conditions, with no significant change in temperature and persistent dry weather.
The absence of rainfall across Kolkata and its neighbouring districts, including Howrah and Hooghly, is expected to intensify the heat stress. Weather officials have also flagged hot and humid conditions across parts of south Bengal between April 13 and April 16, urging caution during peak afternoon hours.
While north Bengal districts may see intermittent thundershowers, south Bengal, including Kolkata, will largely remain dry, reinforcing the early arrival of summer-like conditions.
With the mercury on the rise and humidity set to climb, the city is poised for a week that feels unmistakably like the onset of a long, hot summer.