The city received only a trace of rain on Saturday — 2.2mm till 5.30pm — but a cloud-covered sky helped ease the discomfort that had gripped Calcutta through much of the past week.

It remained warm, however.

The maximum temperature settled at 34.6 degrees Celsius, 0.6 degrees below normal, while the minimum was 29 degrees Celsius, 1.8 degrees above normal.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of up to 60kmph brought some relief from the sultry conditions that prevailed in the morning.

“The maximum temperature is expected to remain between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius and not go up as high as 36-37 degrees Celsius till the monsoon hits the city,” said H.R. Biswas, head of the weather section at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore.

The sky will remain cloudy.

The Met office said there could be scattered light to moderate rain in the city in the next few days.

“The temperature will not go up very high, but the humidity will remain. Rain will bring temporary relief, and if it doesn’t rain, discomfort will continue,” said a Met official.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds of up to 40kmph are likely in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, and North and South 24-Parganas from June 10 onwards, the Met office said.

Similar weather conditions, including rain and gusty winds reaching 40kmph, are forecast for East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, East and West Burdwan, Murshidabad and Nadia, the weather office said.