Kolkata and adjoining areas are likely to see a sharp decline in rainfall after Saturday afternoon as the depression over southern Odisha and Chhattisgarh weakens and moves further north-west, according to the Alipore weather office. The system has brought widespread rain to the city and parts of West Bengal since early Saturday.
Rain began before dawn across large parts of Kolkata and its suburbs, with several areas reporting intense showers during the morning. The rain eased later in the day, although the sky remained overcast. The latest forecast indicates that rainfall activity will reduce considerably after the afternoon, with no significant spell expected across the city after Saturday.
The depression was located over southern Odisha and Chhattisgarh before moving further north-west. It was expected to weaken into a low-pressure area by Saturday morning. Its influence has produced scattered rain across both north and south Bengal, but the weather office said the system’s impact would now gradually decline.
After Saturday, heavy rain is unlikely in Kolkata and the districts of south Bengal. The weather office has forecast the possibility of one or two brief, isolated showers in some locations, but no weather warning has been issued for the region. This means residents should not expect the same intensity of rainfall seen during the early hours of Saturday, although localised showers remain possible.
The depression is still affecting sea conditions along the coast. Winds near the coast are expected to reach 35 to 45 kmph, with gusts occasionally touching 55 kmph. Fishermen have therefore been advised not to venture into the sea until Saturday afternoon.
North Bengal will continue to face a more unsettled weather pattern through Saturday. Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong may receive heavy rain, while Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and North Dinajpur may experience scattered thunderstorms and rain. No weather warning has been forecast for any district in north Bengal from Sunday.
Kolkata recorded a minimum temperature of 25.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning, which was 0.4 degrees below normal. The city’s maximum temperature on Friday was 30.6 degrees Celsius, or 1.9 degrees below normal.
The Alipore weather office’s current forecast points to a return towards relatively normal conditions after the depression weakens. For Kolkata and south Bengal, the immediate change is expected to be a reduction in rainfall after Saturday afternoon, while coastal restrictions for fishing activity remain in place until the specified period ends.
