The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday forecast thunderstorms in some districts of West Bengal till April 9, which would bring down maximum temperatures by a few notches.

Favourable wind patterns and strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal are very likely to bring light to moderate rain over most districts of the state, and it would dip temperatures by three to four degrees Celsius, it said.

The IMD said that thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 kmph are likely over Purulia, Bankura, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts.

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers are likely over the rest of the districts of south Bengal, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty wind reaching speed of 40 to 50 kmph are likely over the sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar, it said.

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers are likely over the remaining districts of north Bengal till April 9, it said.

Kolkata is likely to experience light thunderstorms with rain towards the afternoon or evening of Sunday, it added.

On Saturday, the IMD had said that light to moderate rain or thundershowers were likely in districts such as Purulia, Bankura and Birbhum.

It had also forecast that thunderstorm activity would gradually intensify across south Bengal from April 5, becoming more widespread by April 7 and April 8.

The Met office had further indicated that north Bengal would see increased weather activity from April 5, with widespread rain, thunderstorms and the possibility of heavy rainfall in some districts between April 7 and April 9.