Low-Pressure Alert! Rain Set to Intensify Across Bengal

A fresh low-pressure area has formed over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal–north Odisha coasts, bringing another spell of unsettled weather to the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the system formed at 5.30am on Saturday, August 29, under the influence of an upper-air cyclonic circulation. It is expected to move west-northwestwards across north Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal over the next 48 hours.

The system is expected to strengthen rainfall activity across West Bengal over the weekend. The IMD has forecast heavy rainfall at isolated places in Gangetic West Bengal on Saturday. Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North and South 24 Parganas and both East and West Midnapore are among the areas where heavy rain is likely.

The weather could become more intense in parts of southern Bengal on Sunday. The IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rain in East and West Midnapore, while South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Jhargram and Bankura could also receive heavy rainfall. The warning extends into Monday, when East and West Midnapore, Purulia, Jhargram and Bankura remain among the districts under watch.

Kolkata is unlikely to escape the spell. The latest forecast points to rain or thundershowers across the city, with heavy rain possible at isolated places on Saturday. Gusty winds of around 30–40 kmph are also possible in parts of Gangetic West Bengal. The combination could affect traffic and increase the risk of waterlogging in low-lying areas.

North Bengal will also see periods of rain. Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar face the stronger possibility of heavy rainfall on Saturday. Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Cooch Behar, the two Dinajpur districts and Malda could also see thunderstorms, lightning and rain in places.

The biggest immediate concern, however, is at sea.

The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the deep sea of the North Bay of Bengal on August 29. The restriction extends to the West Bengal, Odisha and Bangladesh coasts and the North Bay from August 29 to 31. Squally winds of 35–45 kmph, occasionally gusting to 55 kmph, are expected along the West Bengal coast during this period.

The national weather bulletin is more emphatic about conditions over the North Bay. Winds of 45–55 kmph, gusting up to 65 kmph, are likely over the North Bay and along the Odisha–West Bengal–Bangladesh coasts during the next 48 hours. Sea conditions are expected to remain rough to extremely rough. The IMD has therefore advised fishermen to stay away from these waters.

The latest forecast suggests that the unsettled weather will not be confined to a single day. Rain and thundershowers are expected across much of Gangetic West Bengal through the weekend, with the system continuing to influence the weather into the early part of next week.

For Kolkata and the districts along the coast, the immediate concerns are practical: waterlogging, slower traffic, gusty winds and disruption to outdoor activity. For those who depend on the sea for their livelihood, the warning carries a more serious implication. A rough sea can turn a routine fishing trip into a potentially dangerous one.

The latest development is therefore less about a dramatic storm than a rapidly changing monsoon system. The low-pressure area has formed, the rain threat has increased and the sea is expected to remain hostile.

The next 48 hours will determine how sharply the system affects Bengal. Until then, the IMD’s message is clear: expect more rain on land and rougher conditions at sea.