Heatwave conditions to prevail in south Bengal till April 30: IMD

Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal distributes umbrellas and other kits to police personnel in view of the rising temperature leading to an increase in heatwave, in Kolkata on April 22, 2024. | Photo Credit: ANI

Heatwave conditions will continue to affect normal life in southern West Bengal till at least April 30, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on April 26.

The abnormally high maximum temperatures in the southern and western districts of West Bengal are being caused by dry westerly winds and strong solar insolation, it said.

Kalaikunda in Paschim Medinipur district recorded the day's highest temperature in West Bengal at 44.7 degrees Celsius, which is 7.9 notches above normal. Panagarh in Paschim Bardhaman district followed closely at 44.5 degrees Celsius, nine counts above average, the weather office said.

Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius, which is four notches above normal, the MeT department said, forecasting heatwave conditions to prevail in the metropolis for the next five days.

Severe heatwave conditions will prevail over Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Birbhum, Bankura and Jhargram districts, it said.

The IMD said that heatwave conditions will prevail over the other districts in south Bengal till April 30.

The other places which recorded over 40 degrees Celsius temperatures are Bankura (43.9), Bardhaman (42.6), Midnapore (42.6), Asansol (42.4) and Purulia (42.7), it added.