The depression over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved northnorthwestwards and lay centred at 11.30 am about 390 km southsouthwest of Chandbali in Odisha and 280 km southsoutheast of Puri, regional Met director G K Das said.
The system is very likely to move initially northnorthwestwards and cross Odisha coast between Puri and Chandbali around midnight or tomorrow early morning, and is likely to intensify into a deep depression, the officer said.
"Heavy to very heavy rain will occur at isolated places in most parts of West Bengal along with Assam and Meghalaya from tomorrow till Saturday morning," the director said.
Squally winds with speed reaching 45 to 55 km per hour gusting to 65 km per hour is very likely along and off Odisha and West Bengal coasts.
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Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea off Odisha and West Bengal coasts till Saturday.
The festival of lights lost some sheen as intermittent showers throughout the day kept people indoors.
The prevailing weather, however, seemed to have one positive effect as lesser bursting of firecrackers meant lesser air and sound pollution.
The rain could not though prevent devotees from lining up at iconic Kali temples in different parts of the state since early morning.
Thousands of people stood patiently in queues at Kalighat Kali temple here, Dakshineswar temple on the banks of the Hooghly river and other well-known temples in the districts like Kalyaneswari in West Burdwan and Kankalitala.