Intermittent rain ends heat spell in Gangetic Bengal

Intermittent showers since morning ended the heatwave which scorched Gangetic West Bengal region for the past fortnight, bringing down temperatures by six degrees as the weather office predicted rain till Tuesday.
Today's maximum temperature in Kolkata came down to 32.1 degrees Celsius, four notches below normal, which was at 38.1 degrees yesterday, according to MeT department.
The seaside town of Digha received 30 mm rainfall since last night, it said.
The MeT office in its forecast said that heavy rainfall would occur at isolated places in Gangetic West Bengal on May 26 and May 27.
The rainfall and resultant cooling effect was due to a well-marked low pressure area over west-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of north-west Bay of Bengal.

It would move in a nearly north-northeasterly direction and weaken gradually in the next two days, the weather office said.
The rain brought much-needed relief to the people from the searing heat they endured for the past two weeks when the maximum temperature hovered above 40 degrees Celsius, setting the stage for enjoying their a leisurely Sunday.
The low pressure would also have cooling effect on West Bengal's perched western districts of Purulia, Bankura, West Midnapore, Birbhum and Burdwan, where the maximum temperature had reached around and above 45 degrees Celsius in the past fortnight.