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Kolkata's Skies Open: Nor'Wester Ends Dry Spell
29 Apr
Summary
- A Nor'Wester thunderstorm ended a nearly 10-day dry spell in Kolkata.
- Weather officials predicted 200-300 mm of rain overnight.
- Improved air quality resulted from reduced vehicle use and rainfall.
A powerful Nor'Wester thunderstorm swept through Kolkata on Wednesday evening, concluding a prolonged dry spell of approximately ten days. Weather authorities had issued a red alert for several western districts of Bengal, anticipating heavy showers and lightning. This storm, characterized by wind speeds reaching about 70 kmph, has now reached Kolkata, with predictions of 200 to 300 mm of rainfall overnight.
Initially, gusty winds and light rain began around 8:15 pm, expected to intensify throughout the night. Waterlogging was reported in parts of central Kolkata within an hour of the storm's onset. This weather change occurred following a week and a half of dry conditions, leading up to the second phase of the Bengal Assembly elections.
The city experienced a notable improvement in air quality, moving from a 'moderate' to 'good' AQI within 24 hours. Meteorologists attributed this cleaner air to a combination of reduced vehicular emissions on election day and the dispersion of pollutants aided by the recent rainfall and breezy, cloudy conditions. The mercury is also expected to drop several notches from Wednesday's high of 32.2 degrees Celsius.
