The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Kolkata on Saturday, 17 October forecast predominantly dry weather across West Bengal for the Durga Puja festival period, with only isolated light showers expected in select areas. Crucially, no moderate to heavy rainfall is anticipated from Saptami to Ekadashi, offering relief to millions of revellers and pandal organisers across the state.

What the Forecast Says

According to the weather office, scattered rain is possible in coastal and adjoining districts of south Bengal on Saturday. On the same day, light to moderate rain or thunderstorms are likely at a few places in South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore, while isolated light rain or thundershowers may occur elsewhere in south Bengal.

In north Bengal, isolated light rain or thundershowers are possible in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, and Kalimpong on Saturday. Darjeeling and Kalimpong could see similar weather conditions on Sunday as well.

Kolkata Weather Outlook

Kolkata is likely to see partly cloudy skies on Saturday, with a possibility of light rain or thundershowers in the afternoon. However, mainly clear skies are expected from Saptami to Ekadashi, covering the core days of the festival.

On Friday, 17 October, Kolkata and its adjoining areas recorded a maximum temperature of 32.04 degrees Celsius — 0.2 degrees below normal — while the minimum stood at 25.06 degrees, 0.8 degrees above normal. Relative humidity ranged between 60 and 95 per cent.

Why the Weather Pattern Is Changing

RMC Director Habibur Rahman Biswas explained the meteorological dynamics behind the forecast. 'The monsoon has withdrawn from the country. It started returning from various states of South India under the influence of the northeast monsoon. The axis extends from the north to the northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast. The axis extends over the southwest and west central Bay of Bengal also. As a result, light rain may occur in one or two places,' he said.

This comes amid the seasonal transition away from the southwest monsoon, a period when residual moisture from the Bay of Bengal can still trigger localised showers. Notably, the northeast monsoon's early onset over South India has influenced the weather axis, limiting significant rainfall penetration into Bengal.

Impact on Festival Celebrations

The largely dry forecast is good news for the estimated tens of millions of people who participate in Durga Puja celebrations across West Bengal — one of the world's largest open-air religious and cultural festivals, which received UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status in 2021. Pandal organisers and cultural committees in Kolkata and beyond typically brace for rain disruptions during the October festival window, making this year's outlook unusually favourable. The forecast suggests that major disruptions to processions and public gatherings are unlikely during the primary festival days.