SNS, KOLKATA, 26 MAY, 2025 : The southwest monsoon is likely to advance into West Bengal within the next three days, the Alipore Meteorological Office said on Monday. With the seasonal winds making rapid progress over the Bay of Bengal, heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast across several districts of south and north Bengal through the week.
The monsoon has already advanced over Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland. It is expected to enter coastal Bengal and parts of north Bengal via Sikkim in the next 72 hours, the Met office said.
An area of low pressure is also likely to develop over the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday, which, combined with favourable wind conditions, is expected to intensify rainfall activity from Wednesday onward.
Heavy showers accompanied by gusty winds, reaching 30–40 km/h, are expected in Kolkata and several districts of south Bengal, including North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore.
On Thursday, thunderstorms with heavy rainfall are likely in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, Purulia, Bankura, and adjoining districts.
By Friday, very heavy rain (7–20 cm) is forecast in East and West Burdwan, Bankura, the two Midnapores, Hooghly, and Birbhum. A red alert for heavy rainfall has been issued for these areas. Rain activity is expected to continue in Birbhum and Murshidabad on Saturday.
In north Bengal, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to begin Thursday in North Dinajpur and Cooch Behar. On Friday and Saturday, districts including Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, and Cooch Behar may receive intense downpours.
The sea is expected to turn rough from Wednesday due to the developing low-pressure system. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea along the West Bengal and Odisha coasts for the next four days.
The state administration has begun preparatory measures in coastal areas like the Sundarbans, with microphones warning residents, police deployment at beaches, and stocks of drinking water and dry food already in place.
Emergency control rooms have been set up in every block, and a high-level administrative meeting was held in the Sagar block on Monday, attended by Sundarbans Development Minister Bankim Chandra Hazra.
The monsoon officially arrived in Kerala on Saturday, eight days ahead of schedule, and an early onset is now expected in Bengal as well.
