Alipore: Humidity as high as 69 per cent made it feel like nearly 50 degrees Celsius outdoors on Monday.

The maximum temperature recorded in the city on Monday was 34.6 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal for this time of the year. But as the humidity level remained high all day, Google Weather calculated the feel-like temperature as 49 degrees Celsius.

The "feel-like" is calculated taking into account temperature, humidity, winds and cloud cover.

The first day of the month had brought a dry thunderstorm but there has been no rainfall since.

"Only a thunderstorm can get Calcutta some reprieve from the present hot conditions. The chances of one cannot be ruled out over the next two days. But a thunderstorm seems more likely from Thursday," a senior Met official said.

The sultry spell will continue over the next two days and it can only get more uncomfortable with the maximum temperature tipped to rise to 36 degrees on Tuesday and 37 degrees on Wednesday.

"The minimum relative humidity was 46 per cent last Thursday and on Monday it was 69 per cent, which is a huge jump. That is why people are feeling so uncomfortable," the official said.

The minimum relative humidity indicates the moisture content in the air during the hottest part of the day. This means, during other times, the humidity was even higher.

There was just one weather system near Calcutta on Monday - a cyclonic circulation over north Bengal. A trough of low pressure has started from this circulation but extended northward, away from Calcutta.

Thunderclouds have formed to the north and west of the city but did not move towards the city as the prevailing winds were unfavourable, said weather scientists.