Heavy showers predicted in N Bengal from today; wait continues for South

Kolkata: The Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore has predicted heavy rainfall in North Bengal districts from Saturday to Monday while there may be some scattered rainfall in southern parts of the state in the next couple of days. There is, however, no forecast of heavy rainfall in South Bengal yet.

South-west monsoon entered South Bengal on June 18 in a weak condition and as a result, there hasn't been any major rainfall in South Bengal districts yet.

The MeT office said the monsoon in South Bengal is still weak and it, therefore, fails to bring about heavy showers.

Unlike the South, various North Bengal districts have been receiving heavy spells of rainfall ever since the south-west monsoon entered the north. South Bengal witnessed a delayed entry of monsoon this year. South-west monsoon normally enters South Bengal districts on June 11.

The city and some of the districts in the South witnessed scattered rainfall along with lightning in some pockets. It also rained lightly in the city and other adjoining districts on Friday.

"Though heavy rainfall still eludes various districts in the southern parts but the temperature has slightly dropped giving some sort of relief to the city dwellers from the hot and humid condition. There is no chance of heavy rainfall in Kolkata in the next couple of days. It may receive heavy rain towards the end of this week as the monsoon will gain some strength," a weather official said.

The south-west monsoon had entered North Bengal and also north-eastern parts of the country on June 3 and therefore, these parts received a heavy rainfall since then.

This is only the fourth occasion since 2010 when the onset of the south-west monsoon over Kerala took place before time (June 1).

Monsoon arrived earlier than usual in 2010 (May 31), 2017 (May 30) and 2018 (May 29). The earliest onset over Kerala since 2005 was recorded in the year 2006, when the monsoon had arrived on May 26.

The highest temperature in Kolkata will hover around 32 degree Celsius in the next 48 hours while the lowest temperature may remain around 27 degree Celsius, the weather office said.