Kolkata and several south Bengal districts are set for a wet week as a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal triggers heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and gusty winds, said India Meteorological Department in a bulletin on Saturday.
A well-marked low-pressure area over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Odisha-West Bengal coast is expected to keep Kolkata and south Bengal under the influence of widespread rain and thunderstorms over the next seven days, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata.
The weather office has forecast light to moderate rain across all south Bengal districts through July 10, with the most intense spell expected on July 5.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in West Midnapore, Jhargram and Purulia, while Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, Bankura and West Burdwan are expected to receive heavy rain. Thunderstorms with gusty winds of up to 50 kmph are also likely.
An IMD official told PTI, "The low-pressure area is likely to strengthen into a deep depression before moving towards the West Bengal-Odisha coast. Under its influence, south Bengal is expected to receive widespread rainfall with isolated spells of heavy to extremely heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and squalls over the next few days."
The bulletin indicates that heavy rain will continue in parts of south Bengal on July 6 before rainfall gradually becomes lighter, although thunderstorms and gusty winds are expected to persist across the region for the rest of the forecast period.
An orange alert remains in place for Kolkata, where heavy rain, thunderstorms and wind speeds of up to 60 kmph are expected, according to the PTI report.
North Bengal is also likely to witness widespread rain throughout the week. Heavy rainfall is forecast from July 6, with Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Cooch Behar expected to receive the heaviest showers between July 7 and July 10.