Will the Rains Ever Cease in West Bengal?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- West Bengal is experiencing a prolonged period of rainfall.
- Heavy to very heavy rains are expected in several districts.
- Precautions are necessary due to potential flooding and landslides.
- Weather systems indicate no immediate relief in sight.
- Transportation has been significantly affected.
Kolkata, July 31 (NationPress) The relentless downpour that has been striking Kolkata and numerous districts in South Bengal is set to persist through next week, with no immediate relief anticipated, as per weather officials' reports on Thursday.
The Met office has indicated that Kolkata and seven districts in south Bengal will experience heavy rainfall on Thursday, attributed to a cyclonic circulation over Gangetic West Bengal. Meanwhile, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning will affect the remaining districts, with wind speeds reaching up to 40 kilometres per hour.
On Thursday morning, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore, Kolkata, confirmed that the cyclonic circulation is situated between the northwest Bay of Bengal and the Odisha coast, impacting weather patterns.
Moreover, the monsoon axis currently extends from Bikaner, passing through Ranchi, and reaching Digha towards the northeast Bay of Bengal. As a result of these two weather systems, light to moderate rainfall is expected to continue across the south Bengal districts until next week, with the potential for heavy to very heavy downpours in certain areas.
A Met department official stated, "With the presence of two weather systems and active monsoon winds, West Bengal is experiencing an extended period of rainfall. The outlook remains unchanged as precipitation will persist through next week, with varying intensities based on shifting weather conditions."
This Thursday, East Burdwan, West Burdwan, Birbhum, Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, and Nadia are likely to face scattered to heavy rainfall. The trend of light to heavy rainfall will continue in these districts on Friday. Scattered rains are forecasted for all south Bengal districts until next Tuesday.
Meanwhile, districts in north Bengal, which are already grappling with continuous rains leading to overflowing rivers, will likely experience heavy to very heavy rainfall starting Friday.
A warning for heavy rain has been issued for Darjeeling, North Dinajpur, and Malda districts on Thursday and Friday. Additionally, heavy rainfall is expected in South Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Kalimpong districts starting Friday. The intensity of rainfall will further escalate from Saturday in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, and Alipurduar districts, continuing through Monday.
Currently, the water level of the Teesta River has surged, flooding extensive regions of north Bengal, including Teesta Bazar. The river's overflow has affected National Highway-20, halting vehicular traffic between Sikkim and Siliguri in north Bengal. Several landslides have also been reported in various hilly areas.
In Kolkata, the sky has been overcast since Thursday morning. The minimum temperature recorded on Thursday was 25.7 degrees Celsius, which is 0.9 degrees below the normal range. The maximum temperature on Wednesday was 28.5 degrees Celsius, falling 4 degrees below normal.