Kolkata is set to return to its usual warm and humid conditions over the next few days, with light rain and thunderstorms likely in parts of south Bengal early next week, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
On Saturday afternoon, the city recorded a maximum temperature of 32.6 ˚C while the minimum stood at 23.3 ˚C, both slightly above normal. Relative humidity touched 94 per cent at its peak, contributing to the sticky weather across the city.
For Kolkata and its neighbouring districts, the weather is expected to remain mainly clear with partly cloudy sky over the next couple of days. Day temperatures are likely to hover between 32 and 34 ˚C, while night temperatures may stay between 23 and 25 ˚C.
Light rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at one or two places in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly and the 24 Parganas on March 9 and March 10, as per a latest report from the Met office. Similar conditions may affect districts such as East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, and Bankura.
Meteorologists said dry weather has largely prevailed across the state so far, though temperatures have remained above normal at several places. Bankura recorded the highest maximum temperature in south Bengal at 34.5 ˚C recently, indicating a gradual rise in heat across the region.
The Met office has also indicated the possibility of thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds of 30 to 40 kmph and lightning in some districts of south Bengal during this period.
Despite the brief spell of rain, no major change in maximum and minimum temperatures is expected across West Bengal over the next seven days.