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Kolkata Plunged into Darkness by Intense Afternoon Thunderstorm
18 Sep
Summary
- Intense thunderstorm engulfed Kolkata skies, causing early darkness on Thursday.
- Heavy rain, thunder, and lightning pounded Salt Lake, New Town, and Dum Dum.
- A low-pressure system over Thailand may develop into a cyclone by Saturday.
Kolkata's skies were dramatically darkened on Thursday afternoon by high cloud columns, extending 8-12 km upwards. This phenomenon triggered an intense thunderstorm, plunging areas like Salt Lake, New Town, and Dum Dum into darkness by 1:30 pm, followed by heavy rain, thunder, and lightning.
The thunderstorm was attributed to an upper air trough extending from Sikkim to Odisha. This atmospheric condition, combined with heating and abundant moisture, led to significant cloud formation and intense weather activity. While the downpour lasted for about an hour and a half, flooding some parts of Salt Lake's Sector V, the intensity is predicted to decrease.
Looking ahead, thunderstorms are anticipated for Kolkata and other parts of south Bengal on Friday, though with reduced intensity. Separately, a weather system over north Thailand is being monitored for potential intensification into a cyclone. This system is expected to move towards the Andaman Sea by Saturday, with a clearer picture of its development into a cyclone anticipated by Sunday or Monday.
