Heavy Rain Batters Parts of North Bengal; More Showers Expected Amid Bay of Bengal Low-Pressure System

KalimNews, Kolkata, Aug 13, 2025 :  Widespread rainfall continues to drench North Bengal as a low-pressure area that formed early this morning over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal, off the coasts of North Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha, fuels moisture incursion into the region. The system, accompanied by an upper air cyclonic circulation extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level and tilting southward with height, is expected to intensify into a well-marked low within 24 hours before moving west-northwestwards. Meteorologists forecast that it will cross North Coastal Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha within the next 48 hours.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the monsoon trough at mean sea level currently runs from Bhatinda to Ambala, Shahjahanpur, Varanasi, Daltonganj, and Jharsuguda, before extending southeastwards to the center of the low-pressure area. An additional upper air cyclonic circulation lies over East Uttar Pradesh and adjoining areas, extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level, with a trough running from this system to the cyclonic circulation linked to the Bay of Bengal low through Chhattisgarh.

Although the low-pressure system itself is not directly affecting West Bengal, the associated upper air trough and strong moisture incursion are causing widespread light to moderate rainfall in the state, with isolated heavy to very heavy rain expected in several districts of North Bengal over the coming days.

In the past 24 hours, up to 8:30 a.m. IST today, very light to moderate rain was recorded in most places, while heavy to very heavy rain fell over Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, and North Dinajpur districts. Extremely heavy rainfall was reported in one or two locations in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar. South Bengal saw light to moderate showers in some areas, with heavy rainfall at isolated locations in West Midnapore district.

The chief recorded rainfall amounts (in cm) in North Bengal include: Newlands Tea Garden (Alipurduar) — 36 cm, Kumargram Tea Estate (Alipurduar) — 33 cm, and Sankos Tea Estate (Alipurduar) — 31 cm. Several other tea estates and hill stations also reported significant rainfall totals, contributing to swollen rivers and localized waterlogging in low-lying areas.

The IMD has warned that under the current synoptic conditions, light to moderate rain or thundershowers are very likely to occur at most places in North Bengal, with the possibility of further heavy to very heavy falls in the districts of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, and North Dinajpur over the next few days. Authorities have been advised to monitor river levels, and residents in vulnerable areas are urged to exercise caution due to the risk of flooding and landslides in hilly terrain.