A cloudy sky dragged the Celsius down on Sunday, bringing some relief from the sweltering conditions and prompting many Kolkatans to resume outdoor activities on a Sunday.
A few pockets of the city got some rain since Saturday but the volume was negligible. The clouds were a precursor to the southwest monsoon, which, a Met official said, is expected to arrive in the city over the next couple of days.
The Met office recorded a maximum temperature of 32.9 degrees, a notch below normal, on Sunday. That was a rarity in itself. For the past several days, the maximum temperature had been above normal.
Three days ago, on June 15, the maximum temperature in Kolkata was 38.3 degrees, five notches above normal.
The mercury in Kolkata went down because of rain in the neighbouring districts, said Met officials.
The Met logbook was not the only indicator of a relief from the heat.
- A group of friends in south Kolkata usually meet at a tea stall in Lake Market, known for its toast and omelettes for breakfast and mutton cutlet for evening snacks, on Sunday mornings. What used to be a weekly routine was stalled for the past fortnight because of the sweltering conditions. On Sunday, it was back.
- Rabindra Sarobar was more crowded on Sunday morning than it had been in a while. “The conditions were overcast early in the morning. But that did not deter people from stepping out,” said a Lake veteran who goes there almost every morning.
- Around 3pm, the Maidan was buzzing. A family sharing a meal, boys playing cricket, children riding horses — the familiar sights were back. The same Maidan wore a deserted look last Sunday afternoon, when the Celsius was around 37 degrees.
- Around 3.30pm, the stalls outside Vardaan Market on Camac Street did brisk business as people lined up for phuchkas, vadas and bhel puris.
- Around 4pm, a boatmen at Prinsep Ghat were busy bargaining with people who had come for a ride on the Hooghly. “A couple of days ago, we were swatting flies at this time,” said one of the boatmen.
The latest spell of a rise in the Celsius started last Sunday. Several districts were reeling under a heat wave, the third this summer. Kolkata and coastal areas, too, saw a Celsius surge. Whatever moisture was there in the lower atmosphere was enough to cause discomfort, but not enough to lead to the formation of clouds.
The upper atmosphere was dominated by hot northwesterly winds.
North Bengal has, on the other hand, been battered by heavy rain since the arrival of the southwest monsoon there on June 12.
“Now, the conditions are gradually becoming conducive to the onset of the monsoon in south Bengal as well. The arrival is expected by Wednesday,” said G.K. Das, director, India Meteorological Department, Kolkata.
The moisture content in the atmosphere is also going up. On Sunday, the minimum relative humidity in Kolkata was around 65 per cent, meaning it was well above 50 per cent for most of the day.
Just a few days ago,the minimum relative humidity had been ranging in the mid-40s.
Cyclone Biparjoy’s landfall on the west coast and gradual weakening have also contributed to the strengthening of monsoon currents over the Bay of Bengal, Das said.
The Celsius in Kolkata is likely to be under check for the next few days, he said.