While the sky has remained clear this week in West Bengal, much to the delight of Durga Puja pandal hoppers, the met department has predicted rainfall on Navami and Dashami (the ninth and tenth day of the festival). A low pressure area is likely to form on Saptami (Saturday), ABP Ananda reported quoting the Regional Meteorological Centre.
Apart from Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly are likely to receive rain. Light rainfall is predicted in North and South 24 Parganas and East Medinipur as well.
Kolkata is likely to see light drizzle on Navami on October 23 and it will intensify the next day, on Dashami.
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Even though monsoon has retreated from West Bengal, an IMD official told PTI that a cyclonic circulation might form over the Bay of Bengal on October 21. It will then gradually move towards the Odisha coast and West Bengal but will not have any impact till October 22.
Sanjeev Banerjee, head of the Regional Meteorological Centre, said, "As per the forecast on October 19, there is no rain forecast in the state till October 22. The night temperature may dip by 1-2 degrees."
"The weather will be fair on Ashtami. On Navami, there will be only light rain in coastal South and North 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur and some parts of Kolkata. From Dashami, i.e October 24, the intensity of the rain will increase from light to moderate in these areas. In the remaining Gangetic areas of West Bengal, there will be light rain. North Bengal districts will remain dry," Banerjee told PTI.
Kolkata has turned into a fortress with tight security cover as people have already started crowding the streets to witness glimpses of the pandals.
As many as 4,000 personnel have been deployed across the state capital on Wednesday. The number will gradually be doubled to 8,000 in the upcoming days till October 23, IANS reported.