Bengal weather: IMD issues orange alert, thunderstorms and 60 kmph winds expected
Kolkata: After days of relentless heat across South Bengal, a major weather shift is set to bring much-needed relief, just as the state heads into the next phase of polling.
The India Meteorological Department’s Alipore office has forecast the onset of Nor’wester (Kalbaishakhi) activity from Saturday, with thunderstorms, gusty winds, and rainfall likely across several districts.
The first phase of elections was conducted under intense heatwave-like conditions, leaving voters and polling personnel struggling with soaring temperatures.
With phase 2 approaching, attention has now shifted to whether the weather will remain harsh or turn favourable. According to forecasters, conditions are set to ease significantly over the coming days.
Trough triggers change, temperatures to dip
Meteorologists attribute the shift to a trough line extending from Uttar Pradesh to Bangladesh, creating favourable conditions for convective activity.
This system is expected to trigger thunderstorms and rainfall across large parts of South Bengal.
The impact will be visible in temperatures as well. Daytime highs are likely to drop by 3–4°C, offering relief from the oppressive heat that has gripped the region through April.
Weather officials said the latter half of the month was always expected to bring some respite, and current developments are in line with that projection.
Orange alert across multiple districts
An orange alert has been issued for several South Bengal districts from Sunday through Tuesday, warning of thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds reaching speeds of 50–60 km/h.
Districts expected to be most affected include East and West Bardhaman, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia, North 24 Parganas, Purulia and Bankura.
Authorities have urged residents to remain cautious during storm activity, particularly in open areas and near trees or electric lines.
Sea conditions are also expected to turn rough under the influence of these systems.
Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea along the Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining North Odisha coasts on Sunday and Monday.
Kolkata likely to see rain, high humidity persists
In Kolkata, skies are expected to remain partly cloudy on Saturday, with light rain or thundershowers likely in the afternoon or evening.
The maximum temperature is expected to hover around 37°C, while the minimum may stay close to 28°C.
Despite the expected rain, high humidity, ranging between 59% and 91%, will continue to cause discomfort.
Heavy rain disrupts life in North Bengal
Meanwhile, North Bengal is already witnessing the impact of unstable weather. Heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms has lashed areas such as Dhupguri since Saturday morning, causing widespread disruption.
Strong winds have uprooted trees, including areca nut and coconut, damaging power lines and triggering outages in several localities.
Daily life has been affected, with roadside vendors unable to set up stalls despite it being a market day, raising concerns over income loss.
Other areas, including Banarhat and Gayerkata, have also reported intense rainfall. In higher altitude regions like Chamurchi and areas along the Bhutan border, precipitation levels have been even higher.
Farmers and agricultural workers are facing challenges as continuous rain disrupts fieldwork and raises fears of crop damage. The weather office has issued heavy rainfall alerts for Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts.
With thunderstorms expected to intensify across the state over the next few days, authorities are closely monitoring the situation, particularly in the run-up to the next phase of polling.