Monsoon to advance in some parts of Bengal next week, heavy rain likely

The IMD on Sunday forecast heavy rain in West Bengal next week, owing to the likely advancement of southwest monsoon over some parts of the state and strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal.

In a bulletin, it forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur on June 17, and moderate to heavy rain in the other districts of the region till the morning of June 19.

Kolkata is likely to receive heavy rain on June 17 and June 18.

Heavy to very heavy rain is also expected in the north Bengal districts of Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri and moderate rainfall in some other districts, including Coochbehar, North Dinajpur, Darjeeling and Kalimpong, the IMD said.

Squally weather with surface wind speeds reaching 35-45 kmph, gusting to 55 kmph, is very likely over the West Bengal-Odisha coasts from June 17 to June 18, it said.

Sea condition is likely to be rough during this period, the IMD said, advising fishermen not to venture into the sea along and off the West Bengal-Odisha coasts.

Sagar Island on the Bay of Bengal received the highest rainfall in the state at 76.8 mm in the past 24 hours till 8.30 am, while the Darjeeling hills received 36.2 mm rainfall during the period, the weather office added.