KOLKATA: Monsoon arrived in Kolkata and most parts of south Bengal on Saturday - a week behind schedule - even as it remained cloudy with occasional drizzles. Kolkata received 6.8mm rain till Saturday evening and could receive light to moderate showers for the next 72 hours. There could be intense rain next week after a low-pressure trough slides down from north Bengal.
Monsoon arrives in Kolkata, parts of south Bengal
Monsoon arrived in Kolkata and most parts of south Bengal on Saturday - a week behind schedule - even as it remained cloudy with occasional drizzles. While Kolkata, South and North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hoogly, Murshidabad, Nadia and East Burdwan were covered by the monsoon currents, areas like West Midnapore, Jhargram, West Burdwan, Purulia and some parts of Birbhum are yet to receive rains. Met office said conditions are favourable for monsoon to advance further on Sunday and cover the remaining parts of south Bengal.
Kolkata received 6.8mm rain till Saturday evening and could receive light to moderate rain for the next 72 hours. There are chances of intense rain next week after a low-pressure trough slides down from north Bengal towards south. "A low-pressure trough stretches across Haryana and Manipur and has been triggering rain in north Bengal. It may slide southward and cause heavy rain in south Bengal. But till then, Kolkata and south Bengal will receive just moderate rain," said Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) director GK Das.
With the arrival of monsoon, maximum temperature in Kolkata slid to 31.1°C, two notches below normal. The minimum fell to 25.8 °C. It will remain pleasant over the next few days, said the Met office. "With rains set to continue and intensify over the next few days, temperature will remain lower than normal. The heat will be curbed by the rains," said Das.
'Enhanced rainfall activity' has been predicted across north Bengal which is already being lashed by heavy rains. Some south Bengal districts were lashed by thunderstorms with a wind speed of 30-40 km/hr.
This year, monsoon arrived earlier in Kerala, raising hopes of an early onset in Bengal, too. In 2018, monsoon had arrived in Kerala on May 29 and hit south Bengal and Kolkata on scheduled date of June 11. A year later, Kerala received rains on June 8 and monsoon arrived in Kolkata on June 20. In 2005, Kolkata had received monsoon on June 21, which remains the most delayed onset in the last two decades.
