Cyclone Murasu delays winter in Bengal, relief expected before Kali Puja

Kolkata: The indirect impact of Cyclone Murasu has delayed the onset of winter in West Bengal, with temperatures remaining above normal across the state, the meteorological department said on Tuesday.

However, weather conditions are expected to improve from Thursday (November 5), with temperatures likely to dip ahead of Kali Puja on November 8, bringing the much-awaited winter chill to the state.

According to the weather department, scattered rainfall is likely in several parts of Bengal on Tuesday under the influence of Cyclone Murasu, which made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast. The cyclone has triggered forecasts of heavy rainfall, with a red alert issued for coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu.

Although Bengal is unlikely to experience any direct impact of the cyclone, its indirect effects are expected to influence weather conditions. The sky will remain partly cloudy across all districts on Tuesday, with isolated spells of light rain.

In north Bengal, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar may receive light rainfall at one or two places. The remaining three districts of north Bengal are expected to remain dry.

In south Bengal, isolated light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms is likely in North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia. Other districts are likely to experience predominantly dry weather.

The meteorological department has forecast mainly dry conditions across the state from Wednesday to Saturday, with the possibility of rainfall gradually diminishing. As cloud cover clears, night temperatures are expected to fall progressively, creating favourable conditions for the arrival of winter around Kali Puja.

Meanwhile, Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 31.04 degrees Celsius on Monday, marginally above the normal level of 31 degrees. The minimum temperature stood at 25.02 degrees Celsius, which was 2.03 degrees above normal.

The relative humidity in the city ranged between 67 and 95 per cent, indicating continued moisture in the atmosphere.

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