Voters may experience stifling heat and humidity on May 19

Kolkata: Rains accompanied with thunderstorm will lash some of the south Bengal districts till Friday following which the temperature will continue to rise, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore predicted.

The weather office said the last phase of election in the state will be conducted amidst hot and humid condition as the mercury is expected to soar from the next Saturday.

"The thundershower will take place in various South Bengal districts in the next 48 hours. There is a possibility of lightning in South Bengal districts. A gusty wind of around 40-50 km per hour speed along with rain will hit West Midnapore, East Midnapore, Jhargram districts," a senior official of the MeT office said.

People in the city and other districts had been under a tremendous heat spell for the past few days. They heaved a sigh of relief after rain and thundershower hit various South Bengal districts in the evening of May 13. People from the districts such as Birbhum, Nadia, Bankura and Malda witnessed moderate to heavy rainfall along with gusty wind on repeated occasions since Monday.

It can be mentioned here that the temperature touched 42 to 43 degree Celsius in the Western districts such as Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore. Many other districts of South Bengal also had been under tremendous heat spell.

The temperature in the region remained high throughout the day due to the inflow of northwesterly wind to the state from the neighbouring states. There has been little moisture incursion into Gangetic Bengal and thereby preventing the formation of a storm-triggering system.

A Nor'wester brought the recent heat spell under the control. A thundershower triggered by Nor'wester lashed North 24-Parganas, Hooghly Howrah and adjoining parts of the city late on Monday night.

The mercury dipped by a few notches bringing temporary respite to the people. The discomfort level may again shoot up as the humidity is expected to be on the higher side from next Saturday.

Various North Bengal districts may however witness hailstorm and thundershower in the next couple of days. A prediction of hailstorm poses a concern for the team garden owners as it may damage the tea production in various North Bengal districts.