Kolkata, Sep 23 (IANS) West Bengal, including Kolkata, is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rain till Friday as a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression, the Met office said on Wednesday.
The system is expected to move inland on Wednesday night, prompting a warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in several parts of the state.
According to the Met department, the deep depression will move west-northwest towards the coast of northern Andhra Pradesh and southern Odisha.
There is no possibility of a direct impact on West Bengal, the weather office said. However, its proximity to the state’s coastal areas is likely to bring heavy rain to several districts of south Bengal over the next few days.
Heavy rain is likely in several districts of south Bengal, including Kolkata, for four days from Wednesday. South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore and Jhargram are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rain. Heavy rainfall is also possible in parts of Purulia, Birbhum, Hooghly and Howrah.
In view of the prevailing weather conditions, fishermen have been barred from venturing into the sea till Friday. An alert has also been issued for tourists visiting beach resort towns, with people advised against entering the sea.
The deep depression is also expected to bring heavy to very heavy rain to parts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The Met office said the system is likely to cross the north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur, near Kalingapatnam, during the night. It has been moving westwards at around 12 kmph during the past six hours.
The weather situation may intensify between Thursday and Friday. Heavy to very heavy rain is forecast in East Midnapore, West Midnapore and Jhargram, while heavy rain is likely in South 24 Parganas, Bankura, Purulia, West Burdwan, Birbhum and Howrah.
Western districts are likely to receive particularly heavy rain on Friday. Scattered rainfall is expected to continue across most districts of south Bengal till Sunday, September 27.
The system will also affect north Bengal. Heavy rain is possible in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar on Wednesday. The Met Office has warned of possible landslides in the hilly areas of Darjeeling and Kalimpong and waterlogging in low-lying areas of the plains.
Rainfall is expected to increase across almost all districts of north Bengal on Thursday. Heavy to very heavy rain has been forecast in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar on Friday, while Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Cooch Behar may also receive heavy rain.
On Tuesday, Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 31.2 degrees Celsius, 1.06 degrees below normal. The minimum temperature was 26.7 degrees Celsius, 0.04 degrees above normal. Relative humidity ranged between 72 and 96 percent.
–IANS
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