Kolkata Braces For Rainy Weekend Yellow Alert For South North Bengal Till July 15

Written by Subhosree Modak Kolkata is bracing for a sustained spell of inclement weather between July 10 and July 15, as a favourable monsoon trough and strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal have triggered widespread rain across the region. According to the regional meteorological forecast, the state capital will experience a generally cloudy sky with light to moderate rain or thundershowers over the next few days. Daily temperatures in Kolkata are expected to hover between a maximum of 32 degree Celsius and a minimum of 26 degree Celsius. Neighbouring areas, including Dumdum, Salt Lake, and Howrah, will follow a similar weather pattern, with Howrah seeing slightly cooler nighttime minimums dropping to 25 degree Celsius during the initial days of the active spell. Concurrently, South Bengal districts have been placed under a Yellow Alert as they are expected to receive widespread light to moderate rain alongside isolated heavy spells (7-11 cm) extending from July 10 through July 13, with thunderstorm activity continuing up to July 15. Districts such as North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, and Murshidabad will bear the brunt of these downpours, which will be accompanied by lightning and sharp wind gusts scaling up to 40-50 km per hour at times. Additionally, a coastal alert has been sounded for Friday due to squally weather conditions, with wind speeds expected to hit 35-45 km per hour and occasionally gust up to 55 km per hour over the northern Bay of Bengal. In North Bengal, a Yellow Alert is also active across multiple districts from July 10 through July 15, with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely to impact areas like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Coochbehar on Friday, followed by heavy rain in subsequent days. Severe thunderstorms accompanied by frequent lightning and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30-40 km per hour are expected to hit isolated locations across all northern districts. This intense precipitation can lead to landslides in the hilly terrains of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, severe waterlogging in low-lying areas, and a sudden rise in the water levels of major rivers like the Teesta, Torsa, and Jaldhaka. In light of these disruptions, Citizens have been asked to take shelter in safe, permanent structures during active thunderstorms and avoid standing under trees, near electric poles, or close to open water bodies. (Subhosree Modak is an intern with The Indian Express)