Bay of Bengal low-pressure system to spare Kolkata heavy rain during Durga Puja

A weather system churning over the east-central Bay of Bengal has been strengthening through the week, and by Thursday evening it had organized itself into a low-pressure area. Meteorologists are watching its path closely as it drifts westward toward the coast of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, expected to reach that stretch of shoreline by Saturday—the day Kolkata will observe Panchami, the fifth day of Durga Puja. The question occupying the city's weather watchers is whether this system will bring the kind of heavy rain that could dampen the festival's central days.

The answer, for now, appears reassuring. Officials at the meteorological office say the chances of significant rainfall in Kolkata on Saturday are slim, provided the system stays on its current trajectory and makes landfall between south Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh rather than drifting north toward the Bengal coast. Thursday itself was mostly clear and bright across the city, though lightning and thunder were reported in scattered areas after 8 p.m., accompanied by light showers. The system is expected to deepen into a depression by Friday, concentrating its energy over the northwest Bay of Bengal and the waters off the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast.

Friday, which marks Chaturthi, the fourth day of the festival, will bring generally cloudy skies with the possibility of one or two spells of rain or thundershowers. Temperatures are expected to range between 32 and 26 degrees Celsius. Saturday's weather should remain similar—overcast but not necessarily wet—with temperatures dropping slightly as cloud cover thickens. A meteorological official explained that even if the depression makes landfall far from Kolkata, its outer bands can extend moisture-laden clouds into the city, potentially triggering rain accompanied by lightning and thunder. However, if the system adheres to its current path, Kolkata should experience only indirect effects rather than direct impact.

The days immediately following Panchami show a pattern of residual moisture and afternoon heating combining to produce thundershowers. Sunday, Sashthi, is likely to see such activity, with temperatures hovering around 31 to 27 degrees Celsius. Monday, Saptami, is forecast to remain generally cloudy with light rain and temperatures between 32 and 27 degrees. By Tuesday, Ashtami, similar conditions are expected to persist. But meteorologists are already tracking a second weather development: a fresh cyclonic circulation, a remnant system from the South China Sea, is anticipated to emerge in the north Bay of Bengal around Tuesday. Its potential impact on south Bengal remains uncertain. Officials cautioned that they need to observe how this system develops before making any firm predictions about whether it will affect the region.

For now, the festival week appears positioned to proceed without the disruption of heavy rain, though the weather will remain unsettled and moisture-laden. The city's residents can plan their Puja observances with reasonable confidence that the main days will not be washed out, though scattered showers and thunderstorms remain possible. The real uncertainty lies not in the current system but in what emerges from the Bay of Bengal in the days ahead.