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Indian Express
13-07-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
Kolkata braces for more light rain as low-pressure system moves westwards
Written by Shambhavi Pandey After days of persistent showers, Kolkata saw a brief pause in rain on Sunday morning as the intensity of the rain eased and the sun finally peeked through the clouds. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that no major rain warning has been issued for Kolkata. However, the broader weather pattern suggests that rain is far from over in Bengal. The IMD reported that the monsoon remains very active over the state. The low-pressure area that had formed over Gangetic West Bengal has since weakened and moved westwards towards Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. Yet, light rain and thundershowers are still likely to continue over Kolkata and the surrounding districts for the next few days. For the next 24 hours, the local forecast for Kolkata predicts a generally cloudy sky with light rain or thundershowers. The maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to hover around 33 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, respectively. Relative humidity remains high, with a maximum of 95 per cent and a minimum of 79 per cent, contributing to the sultry conditions. Between 6.30 am on Saturday and the same time on Sunday, the city recorded only 0.2 mm of rainfall. Despite the relative calm in Kolkata, several parts of Bengal have yellow alerts issued for them. Multiple alerts were issued through Sunday morning and noon for thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 30–40 kmph, for East and West Midnapore, North and South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, and parts of North Bengal such as Malda, North and South Dinajpur, and North Dinajpur. The warnings are valid for three-hour windows throughout the day, urging residents to take caution, particularly in open or poorly sheltered areas. Although no severe weather has been forecast for Kolkata, officials advise residents to remain aware of shifting conditions as the monsoon trough remains active. While the sunshine on Sunday offered a temporary break from the rain-soaked days, the IMD suggests that scattered showers will continue through the week. Urban residents should stay alert for minor disruptions, including waterlogging and localised thunderstorm activity, especially in the evenings. Shambhavi Pandey is an intern with The Indian Express.
Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
Rainfall very likely to continue across most South Bengal districts for few days
Written by Shambhavi Pandey West Bengal continued to witness cloudy skies and intermittent rainfall on Thursday, as monsoon remained active across the state. In Kolkata, the weather on Thursday stayed mostly overcast through the day, with brief spells of light rain or thundershowers. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 27.4 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 25.1 degrees Celsius. Relative humidity remained extremely high, between 97 and 98 percent. The total rainfall over a 24-hour period ending 8:30 a.m. Thursday stood at 11.6 mm. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a low-pressure area that previously lay over Gangetic West Bengal now lies over south Jharkhand and the neighbouring region. The monsoon trough, which now runs from northwestern India to northeast Bay of Bengal via Digha, continues to fuel the ongoing rainfall activity. The associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 5.8 km above mean sea level. Another trough from West Assam to Vidarbha is also influencing rainfall over the region. Light to moderate rainfall is very likely to continue across most districts of South Bengal for the next few days. On Thursday, isolated thunderstorms with gusty winds (30-40 kmph) and lightning were reported from Purulia, Bankura, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, and Murshidabad. Rainfall amounts varied across districts, with Berhampore in Murshidabad recording 7 cm, Krishnanagar in Nadia 6 cm, and Jangipur, Burnpur and Mankar receiving around 5 cm each. Several other locations across Birbhum, Purulia, and Bardhaman districts reported rainfall between 2-4 cm. The IMD has not issued any major warnings for Kolkata, but isolated heavy rainfall (7–11 cm) is likely in North and South 24 Parganas and Purulia on July 14. Other districts including Howrah, Hooghly, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Nadia, and Bankura will continue to receive light to moderate rainfall throughout the week. In North Bengal, Kalimpong and Darjeeling districts reported significant rainfall, with Lava town receiving 10 cm and Munsong 9 cm. The IMD has issued heavy rainfall warnings (7-11 cm) for hill districts such as Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar for July 14, 16, and 17. Thunderstorms with lightning are also forecast in these areas. For Kolkata and its surrounding areas, the forecast remains steady: generally cloudy skies with one or two spells of rain or thundershower. Over the next few days, maximum and minimum temperatures are expected to remain around 29-32 degrees Celsius and 26-28 degrees Celsius respectively.
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
As waterlogging grips Bengal, IMD predicts continued rain for this week
Written by Shambhavi Pandey Several districts across West Bengal, including Kolkata, continued to reel under monsoon showers on Wednesday, with intense rainfall triggering urban water-logging and prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue multiple warnings. An orange alert was issued for Purba Bardhaman and Nadia early on Wednesday for intense rain and thunderstorm activity, while the department also predicted light to moderate rainfall at most places in West Bengal with chances of isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall. Although weather conditions are expected to slightly improve from Thursday onwards, the IMD cautions that intermittent rainfall, waterlogging, and stormy conditions will likely persist across parts of the state for the rest of this week. Kolkata recorded 50.8 mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period ending 6:30 am Wednesday, with another 14.7 mm recorded by midday. The sky remained overcast through the day, with light to moderate rain persisting. The maximum temperature dipped to 27.1 degrees Celsius, offering respite from the heat but worsening traffic snarls in waterlogged pockets. By Thursday, heavy to very heavy rain (7-20 cm) is likely at isolated locations in Purulia, Bankura, Paschim Bardhaman, and Birbhum, while heavy rain (7-11 cm) may occur in Jhargram, Paschim Medinipur, Hooghly, Purba Bardhaman, Nadia, and Murshidabad. All districts may experience thunderstorms with gusty winds (30-40 kmph) and lightning at isolated locations. These conditions are expected to continue through July 15 with minor fluctuations in intensity and coverage. In North Bengal, light to moderate rain is expected through the week, with heavy to very heavy rain over Kalimpong, and heavy showers over Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Malda on Wednesday. Isolated landslides remain a risk in the hills, especially in Kalimpong. Districts like Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri are forecast to receive heavy rain again on July 13. Several southern districts — including Howrah, Hooghly, the 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Purulia, Murshidabad, and Bardhaman — will continue to see light to moderate rain and thundershowers throughout the week, driven by the persistent monsoon pattern. Significant rainfall in the past day was recorded in areas like Manteswar (12 cm), Sri Niketan and Gheropara (9 cm each), Bankura (6 cm), and Basirhat and Berhampore (5 cm each). The IMD also advised fishermen to avoid venturing out to sea until further notice. Squally weather with wind speeds up to 55 kmph is likely along and off the West Bengal-Odisha coast and over the North Bay of Bengal for the next day. Sea conditions will remain rough to very rough. (Shambhavi Pandey is an intern with Indian Express)
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Indian Express
Multiple yellow alerts in Bengal as IMD predicts widespread rainfall, thunderstorms for next few days
Written by Shambhavi Pandey Rain will continue to sweep across Bengal, as the IMD has predicted widespread rainfall, occasional thunderstorms and gusty winds in several districts over the next few days. Multiple yellow alerts have been issued for both North and South Bengal: Jhargram and Purulia, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, Nadia, and North and South 24 Parganas in South Bengal, and Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar in North Bengal, for varying days until July 5. On Tuesday afternoon, parts of Birbhum were placed under a yellow alert for thunderstorms with light to moderate rain and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 kmph. Around the same time, similar alerts were issued for Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Kalimpong. By late afternoon, Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, Murshidabad and North 24 Parganas too were brought under warning as the weather system remained active over the region. In Kolkata, overcast skies and intermittent spells of rain kept the city relatively cool, with the maximum temperature settling at 30.1 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature was recorded at 26.2 degrees Celsius. Rainfall between 6:30 am on Monday and Tuesday morning was 17.8 mm, with another 12.8 mm recorded by midday. Humidity levels stayed high throughout the day, peaking at 97 percent. Forecasts suggest light to moderate rain or thundershowers will continue in Kolkata and surrounding areas, with similar conditions prevailing in most South Bengal districts. Heavy rainfall has been predicted at isolated places in Jhargram and Purulia, while more districts including Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum, Nadia, and North and South 24 Parganas are likely to experience heavy spells between July 3 and 5. In North Bengal, districts like Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar are set to receive continuous showers through the week, with heavy rainfall expected at one or two locations till July 5. Landslide-prone areas in the hills remain vulnerable under these conditions. A low-pressure area, which had earlier developed over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining north Odisha, has now shifted westwards over Jharkhand and nearby regions. While the system is expected to move gradually northwestwards, its effects remain active across the state. Meanwhile, squally weather over the Bay of Bengal has prompted a marine warning. Sea winds gusting up to 55 kmph are likely till July 2, and fishermen have been strictly advised to stay ashore. (Shambhavi Pandey is an intern with The Indian Express)
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Zoological Survey of India's 110-hour hackathon culminates in Kolkata grand finale
Written by Shambhavi Pandey The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) celebrated the grand finale of its 110-hour national hackathon on Monday at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in Kolkata, marking the 110th Foundation Day of the institute. The event was graced by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav as Chief Guest, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), including Sushil Kumar Awasthi, Director General of Forests, Nameeta Prasad, Joint Secretary, and Ramesh Pandey, Additional Director General of Forests. The hackathon, which began on May 22 in honour of the International Day for Biodiversity, saw participation from 305 registered teams across the country. Following three progressive rounds—including regional showcases, a national-level screening, and semi-finals held in Pune on June 9—five teams from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Digha in West Bengal, Solan in Himachal Pradesh, and Shillong in Meghalaya qualified to the final round in Kolkata. Welcoming the guests and participants, ZSI Director Dr Dhriti Banerjee said, 'You are already a winner. Innovation in conservation is not a competition to be won only once—it's a lifetime of commitment which needs to be honoured daily.' Applauding the finalists, she emphasised how the hackathon has served as a powerful platform to foster environmental solutions led by youth. MoEFCC Director General of Forests Awasthi echoed her sentiment, calling the event 'a good stage for us to move forward in the field of biodiversity'. He noted that hackathons like these serve as collaborative spaces for professionals and individuals to solve environmental challenges with creativity and determination. In his keynote address, Minister Bhupender Yadav lauded the uniqueness of each team's presentation and highlighted that most of the finalists hailed from remote corners of the country. He referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mission LiFE campaign launched on World Environment Day 2023, which outlines seven lifestyle changes—from saving water and energy to managing waste and promoting healthy living—as key to sustainable development. 'This country provides its youth with many opportunities,' he said, adding that their involvement in environmental innovation will be crucial to making the vision of a 'Vikasit Bharat' by 2047 come true. The Minister stressed the need to 'link research with policy and the economy', urging deeper collaboration between scientists, policymakers, and technologists. The author is an intern with The Indian Express
