Kolkata is likely to receive spells of moderate rain for the next three days as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal moves towards the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast, the Regional Meteorological Centre has said. The system is expected to make landfall between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur by Wednesday night, while coastal and western districts of Bengal face the possibility of heavier rain.
The weather system began as a low-pressure area over the west-central and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal before intensifying into a depression by Monday evening. According to a special India Meteorological Department bulletin cited by the Regional Meteorological Centre, it was moving at 18 kmph on Tuesday.
The system was located about 200 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha, 200 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, 210 km south of Puri and 290 km east of Visakhapatnam. Although Kolkata is not directly in the system’s projected path, clouds from its outer bands had already reached the city and triggered spells of rain.
Alipore recorded around 11 mm of rain until Tuesday evening. The meteorological office expects additional rain in Kolkata over the coming days, but has so far forecast moderate rather than extremely heavy rainfall for the city.
“ We are issuing moderate rain for Kolkata as of now while the maximum impact is likely to be coastal districts of Midnapore, Jhargram and South 24 Parganas and western districts where heavy to very heavy rain is expected,” HR Biswas, head of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata, said.
The system is not expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm, according to the report. It is forecast to strengthen into a deep depression and continue moving west-northwestwards before crossing the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coasts between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur by Wednesday night.
The forecast comes against the backdrop of Kolkata’s vulnerability to intense short-duration rainfall. Last year, the city recorded 251 mm of rain within 24 hours on September 23, causing widespread flooding during the Durga Puja festival. The current system is expected to bring a lower level of impact to Kolkata, but the continuing rain may still affect road conditions, drainage operations and local movement if showers persist across the city.
The Regional Meteorological Centre said the heaviest impact from the system is likely to remain concentrated in coastal districts of Bengal and western districts. Kolkata’s rainfall forecast will continue to be monitored as the deep depression approaches land.
