Rain gods likely to frown on the last two days of Durga Puja, Met office predicts

Blame a cyclonic circulation over South-East Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea which is predicted to reach central Bay of Bengal while intensifying into a low pressure zone by Sasthi, that is October 20

Sougata Mukhopadhyay, TT, Calcutta, 18.10.23 : For all those who have finalized inflexible outdoor revelry plans for the Pujas, especially for Navami and Bijaya Dashami, here’s a bit of a damper. The Alipore Met office predicts light to moderate rains in pockets of Calcutta and its adjacent districts on the last two days of the carnival. That, despite the monsoon already taking its official exit from Bengal.

Blame a cyclonic circulation already formed over South-East Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea and which is predicted to reach central Bay of Bengal while intensifying into a low pressure zone by Sasthi, that is October 20, for this lousy bit of climatic change which could upset a few plans on the final day of the Pujas in southern parts of the state.

However, the spread and intensity of the predicted rains would depend on the course the system charts over the next few days, the weather office stated. A reasonable prediction at this point of time from the weathermen, though, is that by Navami the low pressure zone could reach North Bay of Bengal close to the Bengal coast.

While South Bengal would remain dry till Ashtami, October 22, the unwelcome rain clouds are likely to cover the skies over Gangetic West Bengal from Navami. The overcast skies would be witnessed over the districts of North and South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly and Calcutta and some pockets may also receive light rains during the second half of that day with 30-40 percent chances of rain in these districts, IMD officials alerted. Other parts of southern Bengal, however, are likely to experience normal weather conditions on that day, it was learned.

Rain gods are likely to become slightly more threatening on the next and final day of the Pujas, that is Bijaya Dashami, the Met office predicts, with the entire Gangetic plains experiencing cloud covered skies. Chances of sporadic and moderate showers would go up to 80 percent in all the districts mentioned above with coastal areas of East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas likely to receive the maximum brunt. Calcutta, too, is likely to receive a few spells of moderate showers on that day.

As a by-product of the brewing systemic change, a nip in the air is also likely to be felt till the Ashtami with north westerly winds breezing its way in state. The western districts of Bengal would feel the chill a tad more than the other southern parts, the Met office said.

Forecasts of light rains over the next couple of days, till Sasthi, have also been made by the weather office in parts of North Bengal, especially the upper reaches of the state, including in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. The area is likely to remain dry after October 20.