The city is reeling under the twin assaults of heat and humidity.
On Friday, the Met office recorded a maximum temperature of 36° Celsius in Alipore. Paired with high humidity, however, it felt much worse: around 2.30pm, the RealFeel was 41° Celsius. The minimum relative humidity — a measure of moisture during the driest part of the day — was 59%.
Relief may be on the way. A fresh spell of thunderstorms is likely across Bengal from Saturday, according to a Met bulletin issued on Friday afternoon. In Calcutta, at least a couple of spells are expected between April 26 and 29, a Met official said.
“In view of favourable wind pattern and strong moisture incursion from Bay of Bengal, thunderstorm activity is very likely to increase gradually over the districts of Bengal from April 25,” the bulletin said.
Lindsay Street Bishwarup Dutta
On Saturday, light to moderate rain or thundershowers are likely in Birbhum, Murshidabad, East and West Burdwan, Purulia and Nadia. Light rain is expected in the remaining districts, with winds of 40-50kmph. The intensity of showers and wind speeds is likely to increase from Sunday.
Winds may reach 60kmph in some districts, though not in Calcutta. However, during the last such spell, peak wind speeds crossed 70kmph.
In north Bengal, some districts are bracing for heavy rain.
“There is enough heat already, and moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal is strong,” said H. R. Biswas, head of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore.
“But the wind patterns needed to form and lift rain-bearing thunderclouds were missing. They are becoming favourable now,” he said.