Kolkata is set to witness light to moderate rainfall on Tuesday, with the India Meteorological Department indicating a high probability of thunderstorms across the city and adjoining districts. The shift comes after an extended dry spell and rising daytime temperatures, offering short-term thermal relief while underscoring growing weather variability across eastern India’s urban centres. According to the latest Kolkata rain forecast, cloud cover and intermittent showers are expected across Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly, with rain activity extending to several southern districts of West Bengal. Maximum temperatures are projected to remain near the 28–30°C range, while night temperatures are likely to hover around 21°C.
Meteorological officials attribute the development to a low-pressure system drawing moisture from the Bay of Bengal. While heavy downpours are not anticipated, atmospheric instability may trigger thunderstorms in pockets of South Bengal. A separate western disturbance is also influencing weather conditions in the northern hill districts, contributing to scattered precipitation there. For Kolkata’s urban systems, even moderate rain carries operational implications. The city’s drainage network, still being upgraded in several low-lying neighbourhoods, often faces stress during short bursts of intense rainfall. Civic engineers note that pre-monsoon showers serve as an early test of desilting efforts and pumping infrastructure ahead of the more demanding monsoon season.
The agricultural economy surrounding the metropolis is also on alert. Potato harvesting in parts of southern districts coincides with this rain window, and officials have issued advisories regarding lightning risk in open fields. Urban planners point out that such unseasonal showers increasingly intersect with peri-urban livelihoods, reinforcing the need for climate-responsive planning that bridges city and rural boundaries. The Kolkata rain forecast further suggests that this spell will be brief. Dry conditions are expected to return from mid-week, with daytime temperatures gradually climbing towards 31°C by the weekend. Night temperatures are likely to remain stable across much of the state.
Climate researchers say these transitional weather events are becoming more frequent in eastern India, marked by sudden moisture surges and convective thunderstorms outside the core monsoon period. For a dense and infrastructure-heavy city like Kolkata, such variability amplifies the importance of resilient stormwater systems, real-time weather monitoring, and public safety communication. As cities across India confront warming trends and erratic rainfall patterns, episodic events like this week’s showers are reminders that climate adaptation is no longer seasonal. Even a single day’s rain can test preparedness, disrupt mobility, and affect informal workers making proactive urban management essential to sustaining economic continuity and citizen safety.
