Kolkata is under siege with the heaviest drowning rains of the season. The base observatory Alipore recorded 150mm rainfall in 24hr ending 8.30 A.M today. The city had recorded another 76mm earlier the previous day, on 29thJuly. Continuous rain and thundershowers lashed the city yesterday with moderate to strong intensity. The other observatory at Dumdum airport registered 146mm during this period. Sky remains heavily overcast and the intermittent rains still continue.
The low pressure area which had earlier formed over Bay of Bengal and intensified in to a well marked low pressure area later, is now lying over interior parts of Gangetic West Bengal and neighborhood. Entire state of West Bengal has rained heavily over the last 2 days and southern parts in the proximity of coastline have been deluged in the past 24 hours.
The hardest struck was Diamond Harbour measuring 218mm rainfall, the highest of this season so far. Few other places like Midnapore, Bankura and Darjeeling also recorded more than 100mm each.
City of Kolkata has recorded the highest 24 hr rainfall, at least since 2009. The earlier record of 143.7 mm on 10th July 2015 has been overtaken by both the official observatories at Alipore and Dumdum. For the last 3years in a row, city had not recorded three digit rainfall in July. Also, the capital town has far exceeded its monthly normal of July by amassing 525mm rainfall against the average figure of 396m, the 3rd best in the last 15 years.
The well marked low pressure area is likely to move northwest and gradually vacate southern parts of Gangetic West Bengal in the next 24 hours. The capital city will be relieved of heavy rains anytime soon from afternoon onwards.
However, light to moderate rains will continue over the state, particularly the northern parts and Sub-Himalayan West Bengal. The state has been rain surplus this season by a good margin of +20% and this lead will grow further to possibly end at 25% or more at half way through the season on 31stJuly.
