Showers end dry spell, bring relief for Kolkata, southern Bengal districts

3 min readKolkataJun 19, 2026 12:51 PM IST

Residents negotiating a waterlogged footpath in Kolkata on Friday. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

Written by Aleesha Ekka

Continuous showers from the early hours of Friday brought much relief to Kolkata and adjacent districts after days of hot and humid weather. The rain also led to waterlogging in several low-lying areas in the city, such as Shyambazar, Hatibagan, Central Avenue, Dhakuria, and Gariahat, causing hardships to officegoers and school children.

The city had remained largely dry since the monsoon arrived on June 11. Apart from a mere 1.4 mm of rainfall on the day the monsoon reached Kolkata, the Met office had recorded no rain at its Alipore station in the city for six consecutive days (June 12 to June 17).

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Kolkata will experience cloudy skies throughout Friday with a high likelihood of intermittent light rain or thundershowers. Real-time Google Weather observation highlights an active heavy rain spell with an 86 per cent precipitation probability.

The maximum temperature is expected to be 35 degree Celsius, and the minimum should be 26 degree Celsius on Friday, though active downpour might bring the temperature down by a few notches. Daytime surface winds are hovering gently at around 7 to 9 mph from the south-southwest direction.

The IMD has issued a yellow warning for the weekend, forecasting sudden, aggressive thunderstorms accompanied by lightning and localised gusty wind reaching speeds of 30 to 40 kmph.

Orange alert for North Bengal

The active monsoon core continues to present a stark contrast between regions. In South Bengal, light to moderate rain or thundershowers are very likely at many places on Friday, including Jhargram, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia, Purulia, Bankura, and Hooghly, with isolated spots facing a yellow warning for lightning and sharp wind gusts up to 40-50 kmph.

Story continues below this ad

Concurrently, a severe high-yield monsoon surge is dominating Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, prompting an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall, ranging from 7 to 20 cm across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Coochbehar. Early morning state-level logs highlight massive localised precipitation totals, led by heavy recorded downpours at the Jaybirpara Tea Estate in Alipurduar (18 cm) and Nagarkata in Jalpaiguri (13 cm).

According to IMD guidelines for active monsoon conditions, citizens must take immediate indoor shelter during thunderstorms, strictly avoiding trees, electric poles, and water bodies due to severe lightning risks. Urban residents should prepare for waterlogging and traffic disruptions during intense downpours, while those in hilly North Bengal terrains must stay vigilant against landslides. Additionally, to counter the intense heat and humidity in South Bengal, the IMD advises avoiding prolonged outdoor exposure during peak hours from 11 am to 4 pm.

(Aleesha Ekka is an intern with The Indian Express)