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Saturday February 19th: Having experienced above-average rainfall since early 2022, parts of East India are now set for even wetter weather as a new rainy spell has been forecast over the next five days over the region.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), over the next five days, between Saturday and Wednesday, February 19-23, single to scattered rains of light to moderate intensity will flood parts of sub-Himalaya West Bengal and Sikkim.
Additionally, light showers have been forecast on Sunday and Monday 20th and 21st February in isolated locations in Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal.
Sikkim and across West Bengal are also likely to experience isolated thunderstorms and lightning on Sunday, prompting the IMD to issue a yellow watch in both states. The advisor urges residents to be aware of the local weather situation, especially when the thunderstorms hit.
As for the capital of West Bengal, Kolkata has the highest chance of precipitation within this forecast period on Sunday – from 12:30 p.m. to midnight – at 24%. Over the next five days, highs will rise to 29-30°C while lows will settle at 18°C.
For Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, the chance of precipitation will peak on Sunday at 16%, with the early morning and midday hours expected to be the wettest of the day. Daytime temperatures over the weekend will hover around 31°C and rise to 33°C early next week while overnight temperatures will remain around 19-20°C.
The aforementioned wet period over eastern India is caused by a cyclonic circulation located over the southeastern Bay of Bengal and the adjacent Andaman Sea at lower tropospheric levels. Wet conditions are also expected to occur throughout Northeast India during this forecast period.
Indeed, Weather.com forecasters have indicated the possibility of moderate to locally heavy rain or high-altitude snowfall in Sikkim and the Northeast Saturday through Monday. Rainfall will peak on Sunday when precipitation/snowfall of 50-80mm is likely.
Meanwhile, since early 2022, several such rainy spells have brought above-average rainfall across parts of eastern India.
Between January 1 and February 18, Sikkim (138.3mm), West Bengal (56.5mm), and Odisha (52.3mm) all have “large excess” rainfall compared to their respective long-term averages for that period recorded.
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