Kolkata: Monsoon has arrived at Kolkata’s doorstep and could be hours away from descending on the city.
Even as the city received a steady shower on Friday evening, the volume of rain during the day was not enough to declare the onset of monsoon, according to the Met office.
The monsoon currents, however, have covered a large part of south Bengal and reached Canning, which is just 50km from Kolkata.
But the city may receive just moderate rain over the next 48 hours, it was predicted.
Even though Kolkata remained cloudy on Friday, rain was scanty till the evening.
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said heavy showers were unlikely since the low pressure over northwest Bay of Bengal — that has been triggering rain — remained to the far south of Kolkata and was unlikely to have an impact.
“Monsoon clouds have arrived and covered most of south Bengal.
We had expected the city to receive at least moderate rain on Friday till the low-pressure remained closer to the Bengal coast.
But it remained dry for most part of the day, preventing the declaration of monsoon onset,” said RMC director GK Das.
Monsoon currents reached Krishnagore, Malda and Canning on Friday.
“With no new potent system in sight, Kolkata will continue to receive intermittent, light rain over the next 48 hours.
But since it has started raining more heavily from Friday evening, monsoon may be declared on Saturday,” added Das.
He added that early monsoon rain in Kolkata is referred to as ‘summer monsoon’ since precipitation is inconsistent and often scanty during the early part of the season in Kolkata.
“June is often dry in Kolkata and there have been occasions when the mercury has shot past 35°C after the onset of monsoon.
July is usually the wettest of the monsoon months in Kolkata,” said Das.