Heavy rain is expected in the city and south Bengal districts between Wednesday and Friday as a low pressure area is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal around Tuesday, the Met office said on Saturday.
Till Tuesday, there will be sporadic rain coupled with gusts of wind. The maximum temperature will remain in the range of 31 to 34 degrees Celsius.
“Calcutta and other south Bengal districts are likely to experience heavy rain between Wednesday and Friday,” said an official of the India Meteorological Department, Calcutta.
In Met parlance, rainfall above 7cm or 64.5mm in 24 hours is considered heavy rain.
A bulletin issued by the Met office said 7cm to 11cm of rain was expected on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
“A low pressure area is likely to form over west-central and the adjoining north Bay of Bengal around May 27. Under its influence, heavy rainfall is likely to commence from May 28 over some districts of south Bengal,” said a Met official.
Heavy rain brings with it the threat of waterlogging.
A senior engineer of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) said the civic
body has been lifting silt from catch pits and manholes across the city throughout
the year so that water flow is not obstructed during heavy rain.
“We have also monitored the performance of the high-power pumps. There are no major technical glitches,” said the engineer.
Before the low pressure triggers rain, the city will get sporadic rain, the Met office has said.
“The sky will remain overcast at times and clear at other times,” said the Met office.
The bulletin mentioned that thunderstorms with gusty winds, lightning and light to moderate rain were expected between Sunday and Tuesday.
“A cyclonic circulation lies over north coastal Odisha and neighbourhood at 3.1km above mean sea level. Also, in the presence of favourable wind patterns and moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal, thunderstorms with gusty winds and lightning activity are likely to continue for the next four or five days,” said an IMD official.
The maximum temperature will remain between 31 and 34 degrees Celsius.
The maximum temperature on Saturday was 32.6 degrees Celsius, 2.8 degrees below normal. The minimum temperature was 25.8 degrees Celsius, 1.1 degrees below normal.
Calcutta received 1.6mm of rain between 8.30am and 5.30pm on Saturday.
“The weather was quite pleasant on Saturday, with a drizzle for some time. But the absence of the scorching sun made it quite comfortable,” said a south Calcutta resident.
In some parts of the city, the sky had briefly cleared late in the afternoon.