Kolkata Records Season's Highest Temperature Amid Sweltering Heat
The city of Kolkata experienced its hottest day of the season on Friday, with the maximum temperature climbing to a scorching 33.7°C. This marked a significant jump from Thursday's reading of 31°C, representing a nearly 3°C increase that left residents sweating through the day. While the temperature was only 0.1 degrees above the normal mark for this time of year, the rapid rise made conditions particularly uncomfortable.
Rain Respite Forecast for Coming Days
Meteorological officials have provided some relief, predicting that thundershowers will sweep across Kolkata and parts of south Bengal between Sunday and Tuesday. Once these rains arrive, the mercury is expected to dip by 2°C to 3°C, bringing temperatures back to around or slightly below normal levels.
"The mercury is likely to rise slightly on Saturday," said meteorologist H R Biswas, head at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata. "But we expect it to dip again due to the expected thundershower activities between Sunday and Tuesday. We can expect the temperature to dip by 2°C-3°C to hover around and slightly below the normal mark once again."
Temperature Patterns and Historical Context
Before Thursday, Kolkata had experienced below-normal daytime temperatures for seven consecutive days. The minimum temperature on Friday touched 26.2°C, which was 3.6 notches above normal, adding to the discomfort during nighttime hours.
Met officials noted that March maximum temperatures in Kolkata can reach as high as 40°C in the absence of rainfall. In March 2021, when the city received no rain throughout the entire month, temperatures shot up close to 40°C. By contrast, in years with frequent rain spells during March, the highest maximum temperatures typically hover between 34°C and 36°C.
Recent Rainfall Patterns Across the Region
While parts of north Kolkata and the city's northern fringes experienced thundershowers on Thursday, the southern part remained largely dry. Salt Lake recorded 19 mm of rainfall during a sharp 20-minute spell, while neighboring Dum Dum received 5 mm of rainfall on Thursday night.
Several southern districts also experienced thundershowers on Thursday, which Met officials attributed to strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal. This was caused by a cyclonic circulation over Bangladesh and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal.
Later, thunderstorm activities shifted to north Bengal, where places in Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Kalimpong logged between 100 mm and 135 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours.
"By Sunday, the rain intensity there will start coming down, while parts of south Bengal will again be under the spell of thundershowers, lightning and gusty wind," Biswas added.
Wind Patterns and Future Weather Outlook
Kolkata is currently experiencing a mix of southerly and south-westerly winds. This wind system is expected to change to easterly or south-easterly by Sunday, which will inject additional moisture into the atmosphere and promote thundercloud formation.
The anticipated weather shift promises relief from the current heatwave conditions, with residents looking forward to cooler temperatures following the expected rainfall early next week.
