Heavy rain alert for South Bengal, fishermen advised to return - The Indian Express

South Bengal faces renewed potential for inclement weather as a low-pressure area forms over the Bay of Bengal. The Alipore Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rain and strong winds across several southern districts next week. Sea conditions will also remain rough due to the depression, prompting an advisory for fishermen to return to the coast by Monday.

According to the weather office, a cyclonic circulation exists over the North Andaman Sea, extending up to 7.6 km above sea level. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is expected to form shortly and gradually move west-northwest. After reaching the east-central Bay of Bengal, it is likely to intensify into a depression by Monday and further intensify into a deep depression by Tuesday.

Continuing westward, the deep depression is expected to reach near the coasts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh by Wednesday morning. Consequently, heavy rain may persist in several districts of West Bengal from Tuesday through Friday.

Heavy rain is scheduled to begin on Tuesday in key South Bengal districts, including North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur. From Wednesday through Friday, scattered heavy rainfall is expected across multiple districts, accompanied by squally winds gusting to 40–50 km/h. The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for severe weather in four districts.

Stronger storm activity is anticipated in North 24 Parganas on Friday and Saturday, and in Paschim Medinipur on Thursday. South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur will experience continuous heavy rain from Wednesday to Saturday. Additionally, isolated heavy rainfall is likely in Birbhum, Purba Bardhaman, Murshidabad, and Nadia.

Meteorologists expect the sea to become rough starting Monday. Wind speeds over the east-central and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal may reach 45–55 km/h on Monday and intensify to 50–60 km/h on Tuesday. Near the central Bay of Bengal, gusty winds could reach up to 70 km/h, with high winds persisting through Wednesday and Thursday.

Along the coast of West Bengal, squally winds of 40–50 km/h are expected from Wednesday to Friday, creating treacherous sea conditions. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea from Monday to Friday, and those currently at sea must return to the coast by Monday.

Rainfall has temporarily subsided in North Bengal, but it is expected to pick up again starting Wednesday. Heavy rain is likely in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri from Thursday, and in Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and Uttar Dinajpur from Friday, continuing through Saturday. Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda will see scattered thunderstorms, though heavy rain is not expected there for now.

Kolkata is also unlikely to experience heavy rainfall at present. On Sunday morning, Kolkata recorded a minimum temperature of 26.4 degrees Celsius (0.1 degrees above normal). Saturday’s maximum temperature was 32.4 degrees Celsius (0.4 degrees below normal).

According to the Daily Weather Summary issued by the Regional Meteorological Centre, Kolkata, for West Bengal, based on data recorded over the past 24 hours ending at 08.30 am, Alipore, Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 32.4 degrees Celsius, a minimum temperature of 24.6 degrees Celsius, and 7.5 mm of rainfall.

Over the past 24 hours, the state average cumulative rainfall was 6.7 mm, a -16 per cent departure from the long-period average. In North Bengal, very light rainfall occurred at one or two places over Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling districts.

The major amounts of rainfall recorded across South Bengal districts included significant precipitation in Basirhat (North 24 Parganas) at 60 mm, Sagar Island (South 24 Parganas) at 58.6 mm, Durgapur(cwc) (West Burdwan) at 34.2 mm, Salar (Murshidabad) at 32 mm, Canning (South 24 Parganas) at 26.6 mm, Digha (East Midnapore) at 26.5 mm, and Contai (East Midnapore) at 25 mm.

Moderate to light rainfall was reported at several other locations: Kalaikunda (17.6 mm), Midnapore (17.4 mm), Sriniketan (16.6 mm), Amfu Kakdwip (11.8 mm), Amfu Kharagpur (9.4 mm), Mohanpur (9.0 mm), Panagarh (8.0 mm), Tusuma (7.8 mm), Alipore (7.5 mm), Bankura(cwc) (7.2 mm), Simulia (7.2 mm), Barrackpur (5.2 mm), Kalyani (5.2 mm), Midnapore(cwc) (5.2 mm), Saltlake (3.9 mm), and Diamond Harbour (3.8 mm).

District-wise rainfall departure percentages show largely excess rainfall in North 24 Parganas (18.1 mm realised, +196 per cent), South 24 Parganas (25.2 mm realised, +193 per cent), Purba Medinipur (18.4 mm realised, +72 per cent), Paschim Medinipur (11.7 mm realised, +70 per cent), and Murshidabad (8 mm realised, +60 per cent).

Kolkata recorded normal rainfall (7.5 mm realised, +1 per cent) and Paschim Burdwan saw normal rainfall (7.4 mm realised, +5 per cent). Purulia (3 mm, -32 per cent), Bankura (3.1 mm, -44 per cent), and Howrah (2.3 mm, -52 per cent) recorded deficient rainfall.

Largely deficient conditions prevailed in Jhargram (0.5 mm, -93 per cent), Birbhum (1.4 mm, -88 per cent), Nadia (1.7 mm, -75 per cent), Kalimpong (0.5 mm, -95 per cent), Darjeeling (0.1 mm, -99 per cent), and Jalpaiguri (0 mm, -99 per cent). Districts reporting no rainfall (-10 per cent) include Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda, Purba Burdwan, and Hooghly.

Sweety Kumari is a seasoned journalist reporting from West Bengal for The Indian Express. With over a decade of experience in the media industry and eight years specifically with The Indian Express, she demonstrates considerable Expertise and Authority across a diverse range of critical beats. Experience & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express, reporting from West Bengal. Extensive Tenure: Over 10 years of experience in the media industry, with a long association (8 years) with The Indian Express, contributing to a high level of Trustworthiness. Diverse Coverage: Covers crucial beats including Crime, Defence, Health, and Politics, alongside writing on trending topics. Investigative Focus: Possesses a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories, demonstrating depth and skill in impactful journalism. Beat Versatility: Has honed her craft across diverse beats, including aviation and reporting on various incidents, ensuring well-rounded and comprehensive reportage. Career Start: Began her journalistic journey as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a news portal in Kolkata, providing a foundational understanding of media landscape and audience engagement. Education Advanced Education: Holds a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, equipping her with advanced media theory and skills. Undergraduate Education: Holds an Honours degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College. Multilingual Skill: Her fluency in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili enhances her reach and capability to connect with diverse sources and communities in the region, adding a layer of accessibility and authenticity to her reporting. Regional Roots: Originally from Bihar, she was brought up and educated in Kolkata (Kendriya Vidyalaya Salt Lake), giving her a deep, personal understanding of the cultural and political nuances of her reporting region. Sweety Kumari's combination of significant experience, specialization in key beats like Crime and Politics, and strong academic background makes her a trusted and authoritative contributor to The Indian Express. ... Read More