Nor'westers likely to hit 7 districts of South Bengal

The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) alerted the state government on Monday that nor'westers are likely to hit seven South Bengal districts — Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, West Midnapore, East and West Burdwan and Birbhum — between Monday to Wednesday.

In a warning, RMC said: "The latest Radar Observation indicates thundershower accompanied with squalls and hail with the maximum wind speed ranging between 60 and 70 km per hour likely to affect some parts of the districts of Purulia and Bankura and with squalls with maximum wind speed ranging between 50 and 60 km per hour likely to affect some parts of the districts of Jhargram, West Midnapur, West and East Burdwan and Birbhum."

The RMC also stated that South-west Monsoon has reached some parts of South-east Bay of Bengal, Nicobar Islands, entire South Andaman Sea and some parts of North Andaman Sea.

With the arrival of South-west Monsoon over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, it is getting nearer as a cyclonic circulation over Andaman Sea has moved Northwestwards.

The meteorologists alerted the government that this arrival of South-west Monsoon over Andaman and Nicobar Islands would create a low-pressure area soon. As a result, nor'westers would be originated and will lash the districts.

"We have alerted the state government about the possible threat of nor'westers and we have specifically mentioned about Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram, and West Midnapore, East and West Burdwan and Birbhum," said Ganesh Kumar Das, Director in-charge, RMC.

Skymet weather, a private forecaster, however, indicated another reason of nor'wester in Bengal. "A cyclonic circulation persists over North Bihar and adjoining West Bengal. A trough is also extending up to Assam. With this, rain and thundershowers are likely over Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. North-East India including Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh may also witness moderate to heavy rains," Skymet said.