Heavy Monsoons Intensify Across West Bengal as Active Cyclonic Circulation Triggers Widespread Rainfall

KOLKATA — Widespread rainfall continues to lash Kolkata and vast swathes of South Bengal, driven by an active cyclonic circulation. Following a night of heavy downpours on Friday, the Alipore Meteorological Department confirmed that the wet spell is set to persist for several more days, accompanied by gusty squalls.

South Bengal: Isolated Heavy Rain and Squally Winds

Kolkata is expected to witness isolated to scattered rainfall through Tuesday, July 14, 2026. The weather office warned that thunder-activities could be accompanied by gusty seasonal winds blowing at speeds of 30 to 40 km/h. A significant reduction in rainfall activity across South Bengal is anticipated only after Tuesday.

However, weather models indicate heavy rainfall (ranging from 7 to 11 cm) on Monday across the districts of Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Paschim Medinipur, Purulia, and Bankura. Furthermore, the districts of Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum, Purba Bardhaman, and Paschim Bardhaman remain under a heavy rain alert until Tuesday.

North Bengal Focus: Red Alert for Severe Downpours

The weather conditions are significantly more severe in the northern sub-Himalayan districts, where the meteorological department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall ranging between 7 and 20 cm.

North Bengal Rainfall Forecast:

• Weekend Alert (Saturday & Sunday): Extreme downpours are anticipated in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, and Jalpaiguri.

• Extended Outlook: Heavy precipitation will likely persist in these five sub-Himalayan districts until next Friday.

• Other Districts: Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, and Malda are also slated to receive scattered heavy seasonal showers.

Meteorological Synoptic Features

Forecasters explained that the structural driver behind this intense weather is the monsoon trough, which currently stretches from Haryana through Uttar Pradesh all the way to Mizoram.

Simultaneously, a potent cyclonic circulation is hovering directly over Gangetic West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh. This system is aggressively drawing massive amounts of moisture from the Bay of Bengal into the landmass, triggering extensive cloud patches over both northern and southern parts of the state.

Maritime Warning for Fishermen

Due to the atmospheric depression, rough sea conditions are prevailing along the coasts of West Bengal and North Odisha. Gale-force winds pinning speeds between 45 and 55 km/h are churning the coastal waters.

Consequently, the weather office has issued a strict advisory instructing fishermen not to venture into the deep sea until Saturday evening.

Temperature Summary

• Kolkata Minimum Temperature (Saturday Morning): 26°C (0.9°C above normal)

• Kolkata Maximum Temperature (Friday Daytime): 28.6°C (4.2°C below normal due to persistent cloud cover)