- By Nidhi Giri
- Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:44 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bengal Weather: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorms and rainfall across multiple districts over the next few days in West Bengal. Northern West Bengal is expected to experience thunderstorms, whereas Southern West Bengal is likley to experience relief from the persistent heat through scattered showers. Widespread rainfall is likely over the weekend, April 12 and 13. Purulia, Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, and Murshidabad districts are likely to experience thunderstorms with gusty winds (40-50 kmph), lightning, and light to moderate rainfall. Purba Bardhaman, Nadia, Hooghly, Bankura, Jhargram, Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur districts are also expected to see similar weather conditions, with wind speeds ranging from 30 to 40 kmph. Other districts are anticipated to see light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms. Kolkata saw partly cloudy skies on Thursday morning. If other districts receive rain, Kolkata may experience a slight relief from intense heat.
“Thunderstorms and rain already commenced in some areas of North Bengal overnight and are expected to continue for the next few hours. Notably, Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts are also likely to experience significant rainfall during the weekend, with gusty winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 kmph,” said an official, as quoted by an Indian Express report.
Wednesday’s maximum temperature was recorded at 34.2 degrees Celsius, slightly below the normal average. The department has forecast the possibility of rain and thunderstorms in Purulia, Birbhum, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Jhargram, Paschim Medinipur, and Murshidabad districts starting Thursday.
“At present, a trough runs from southeast Madhya Pradesh to east Gangetic West Bengal across Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand at 0.9 km above mean sea level. Due to favourable wind patterns and strong moisture incursions from the Bay of Bengal, thunderstorms with lightning and strong gusty surface wind are very likely to occur in some districts of West Bengal from April 9 to 13,” said a senior weather official.
As per IMD, the heat is expected to intensify from mid-April, with the average temperature in Bengal likely to exceed 40 degrees Celsius and potentially reaching 45 degrees Celsius in Kolkata.