Kolkata, parts of south Bengal experience rain, Met predicts heavy showers from May 28

Kolkata: The city and parts of South Bengal experienced light to moderate rainfall on Monday, which the Indian Meteorological Department described as a precursor to the arrival of the Southwest Monsoon, currently progressing into various parts of the northeastern region.

According to weather officials, a low-pressure area is likely to form over west-central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal around May 27.

Under its influence, heavy rainfall is likely from May 28 over some districts of the state, a Met official said.

"Southwest Monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of west central and north Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of Mizoram, entire Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and some parts of Assam and Meghalaya," the spokesperson said.

The city recorded 2.4 mm of rainfall from 8:30 am on Monday, he said.

The Met department forecast light to moderate rains in Kolkata and its adjoining Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia, Bankura, Paschim Bardhaman, Birbhum districts over the next 24 hours.

In the northern parts of the state, light to moderate rainfall is predicted in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Coochbehar, Uttar-Dakshin Dinajpur, Coochbehar and Malda districts as a monsoon trough line has been formed over both Gangetic and sub-Himalayan West Bengal, weather officials said.

"Conditions are favourable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of north Bay of Bengal and remaining parts of the Northeastern states and some parts of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim during the next three days. Also, in the presence of favourable wind patterns and moisture incursion from Bay of Bengal, thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds activity are likely to continue during the next 3-4 days," he said.