The Celsius in Kolkata is surging towards the 40-degree mark again.
With a delayed monsoon almost certain now, there is no sign of immediate relief from the blistering heat, said Met officials.
On Monday, the Met office recorded a maximum temperature of 38.8 degrees in Alipore, which serves as the official figure for the city.
The Celsius was four notches above normal.
Dum Dum and Salt Lake were hotter at 39.8 and 39.6 degrees, respectively. Bankura, Birbhum, Purba and Paschim Burdwan, Purulia and Jhargram saw the mercury either breach or touch the 40-degree mark.
The Met office on Monday issued a bulletin saying the scorching conditions will continue till June 10.
“Mainly dry westerly wind is prevailing over the region. Meteorological conditions suggest that heat wave conditions and hot and uncomfortable weather is very likely to continue over the districts of West Bengal from June 5 to 10,” said the bulletin.
The monsoon winds usually arrive in north Bengal on June 5 and south Bengal on June 8.
But the monsoon is yet to set foot in Kerala and Met officials said it is almost certain that it will make a delayed entry in Bengal.
The usual date of its arrival in Kerala is June 1.
“In the Indian mainland, the monsoon’s arrival in Kerala is followed by its further advancement to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and parts of the Northeast. After the monsoon reaches the Northeast, the expected date of arrival in Bengal will be clearer. From the Northeast, the monsoon takes around four to five days to reach Kolkata,” said a Met official.
A cyclonic circulation, which is set to develop into a low-pressure area over the Arabian Sea, is expected to propel the monsoon towards the Kerala coast, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday.