Southwest monsoon advances into south Bengal

Kolkata: The southwest monsoon set in in several districts of south Bengal on Monday, an area which has been reeling under heat wave like conditions for over a month, the IMD said.

A spokesperson of the Indian Meteorological Department said conditions have become favourable for further advancement of the system over southern parts of the state in the next two-three days and cause moderate rainfall in different parts and heavy rains in some pockets.

Overcast skies and light drizzle greeted the city on Monday morning much to the joy of its denizens, who were parched due to the heat.

"Today the southwest monsoon advanced into some parts of North and South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, Nadia, Hooghly, Murshidabad, Birbhum and Purba Bardhaman districts ... Conditions are favourable for further advance of southwest monsoon in more parts of south Bengal during the next two-three days," the spokesperson said.

Though the cloud cover gave some respite to the people from the blazing sun in the city, its neighbourhood and other pockets of south Bengal, there was no escaping the discomfort caused by high humidity which was 91 per cent at the maximum and 69 per cent at the minimum.

The mercury level, however, dipped a little. The maximum temperature was recorded at 32.9 degrees celsius, one degree less than the average maximum temperature and the minimum 29.9 degree, the weatherman said.

The IMD forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places over Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts in north Bengal and heavy rains at one or two places over Kalimpong and Darjeeling districts in the next 24 hours. The rainfall intensity will come down in the region from June 23.

The city and other parts of south Bengal reeled under heat wave conditions for more than a month as the mercury hovered between 37 degrees to 43 degrees celsius. The people faced a trying time due to the high humidity level between 80-90 per cent.