Rainfall alert for South Bengal: ‘Low-pressure sys to intensify from Aug 13’

Kolkata: A low-pressure area is expected to develop over the northwest and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal around August 13 which will intensify rainfall activity across South Bengal from Wednesday, with many districts experiencing light to moderate rainfall between August 12 and 14.

The intensity of rain is predicted to be more pronounced in North Bengal districts in the next 24 hours. Currently, a cyclonic circulation is persisting over Bangladesh, the West Bengal coast and the adjacent northwest Bay of Bengal, moving south-westward. This circulation is expected to contribute to the formation of the low-pressure area.

The Alipore MeT office has warned fishermen not to venture into the sea on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the formation of a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal. The districts like West Midnapore, Bankura, Purulia, West Burdwan, Nadia, Murshidabad may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall from Wednesday.

There will be no significant rainfall in South Bengal on Monday. There may be scattered rainfall in some parts. Kolkata on Sunday registered the lowest temperature of the day at 27.9 degree Celsius. The highest temperature in the city was recorded at 32.7 degree Celsius on Saturday. There may be heavy rainfall in several north Bengal districts like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur. The MeT office has warned of thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds in several districts in south Bengal between Tuesday and Thursday this week. The city received record rainfall of 634 mm in July so far this year, highest in the past five years. The city receives 571 mm rainfall on an average basis in this month every year.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore, South Bengal Kolkata received 64 per cent higher rainfall in July this year compared to the corresponding month in the past five years. An average rainfall in the districts of South Bengal stood at 712 mm in July this year which was much higher.

Interestingly, North Bengal districts where the monsoon entered 10 days ahead of normal schedule received less rainfall compared to South Bengal where monsoon entered 11 days after the normal schedule. North Bengal received 29 per cent less rainfall this year.