Thundershowers expected in Bengal within next 24 hrs

Kolkata, May 03 (UNI) The rain gods are expected to open up its arms as the approaching western disturbance is likely to bring about heavy rainfall all over West Bengal, especially North Bengal.

Alipore Met office Director Dr G C Debnath today said temperature is expected to go down all over the state with moderate to heavy rainfall late this evening.

''Kolkata is expected to receive moderate rainfall tonight, but North Bengal will experience heavier downpour with thundershowers from tonight,'' Mr Debnath said.

Met officials here predicted that the maximum temperature in the city will be around 37 degrees Celsius in the next 24 hours.

In view of an approaching western disturbance, rain or thundershower is likely to occur at isolated places over Gangetic West Bengal and also in parts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Malda, North and South Dinajpur of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal.

Thunder squalls, with wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph, is likely to occur at isolated places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Tripura during the next 48 hours.

West Bengal's coastal areas are expected to experience rain and thundershowers, with northwesterly wind with speed being around 10 - 15 knots and visibility level of 8-10 kms that may further reduce to 4 kms during rainfall.

The maximum temperature in Kolkata was recorded at 36.2 degrees Celsius and the minimum was at 27.7 degrees Celsius, two degrees above normal.

Traces of rainfall also occurred last night in some parts of South Kolkata.

Meanwhile, very light to light rainfall occurred at many places with moderate to rather heavy rain at isolated places in the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal.

Very light rain occurred at a few places in the districts of Malda and North and South Dinajpur of Sub-Himalayan West Bengal.

Very light to light rain occurred at a few places with moderate rain occurred at isolated places in Gangetic West Bengal.

Maximum temperature fell appreciably and were below normal at a few places in Sub-Himalayan West Bengal.

UNI LL KK DB1826