Weather likely to play spoilsport for Puja revellers, warns Met office

Kolkata: The weather may dampen the spirit of pandal-hoppers as the Regional Meteorological Centre has predicted scattered rainfall during Durga Puja this year.

According to the prediction of the weather office, the city-dwellers may also witness rain on the day of Mahalaya. Many Puja organisers across the state are also anxious over the weather that has been prevailing in the state during the last few days.

A prolonged spell of rain may also cause inconvenience to the artisans who are toiling hard to construct the Puja pandals of various clubs. Meanwhile, the weather office on Wednesday predicted some more rainfall in all the South Bengal districts in the next 48 hours. The western districts like Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia are likely to receive heavy rainfall due to the formation of a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.

On the other hand, the other South Bengal districts including Kolkata may receive scattered rainfall on Thursday. There is also a prediction of heavy rainfall in the North Bengal districts in the next two days.

Heavy rains have already lashed several parts of the city and other South Bengal districts on Tuesday, crippling normal life in the city. The city received light to moderate rainfall on Wednesday as well.

"There will be heavy shower in the coastal districts of East Midnapore and South 24-Parganas in the next two days as well. The districts like Jhargram, West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia may also receive moderate to heavy showers accompanied by lightning and thunderstorm," a weather official said.

The sky in most parts of the city remained cloudy from the morning. The districts like North 24-Parganas, South 24-Parganas, Hooghly, Howrah and Nadia also received moderate showers, along with a strong breeze on Wednesday.

The weather office has also issued an alert to coastal districts, asking the fishermen not to venture into the sea as it will remain turbulent. The rainy spell is likely to subside after Mahalaya for a few days, but again hit the city during the Pujas.

According to the weather office, there may not be heavy showers, but the people are likely to get drenched while hopping from one pandal to another.