Kolkata: The southwest monsoon has advanced into most parts of north Bengal as of Tuesday, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC). The Met office has forecasted that the rains could reach the remaining parts of Bengal within the next four to five days. An RMC bulletin confirmed that the monsoon has covered the entire districts of Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, and Alipurduar, along with most parts of Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling.
Favorable Conditions for Further Advancement
The bulletin further stated that conditions are favorable for the southwest monsoon to advance into the remaining parts of the southwest Bay of Bengal, west-central and northwest Bay of Bengal, as well as Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Odisha. A weather official remarked, “We expect the monsoon to reach south Bengal by the end of this week. The rest of Bengal should also be covered by then.”
Monsoon Timeline and Rainfall Surplus
The southwest monsoon in 2025 arrived in West Bengal on May 29, but its progress was temporarily stalled, delaying the official onset over Kolkata until mid-to-late June. It officially retreated from the state on October 13, 2025, leaving the city with a 23% rainfall surplus.
Current Weather Conditions
Meanwhile, Kolkata and most parts of south Bengal continued to experience scorching heat and humidity on Tuesday. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 35°C, with a maximum relative humidity of 89%. Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and gusty winds struck parts of East and West Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia, South and North 24 Parganas, and East Midnapore on Tuesday. Most of these areas are expected to continue experiencing sporadic thunderstorms and rain over the next three to four days.
RMC weather scientist Sourish Bandopadhyay noted, “The relief will be temporary due to high humidity levels. It will also increase the chances of thunderstorms.” While the monsoon's arrival is expected to bring some respite, the high humidity may make conditions uncomfortable.
