The city experienced a hot Holi on Tuesday and the Alipore Met office said temperatures would remain high for the next few days, too.
The maximum temperature on Tuesday was 34.3 degrees Celsius, which was one degree above normal. The minimum temperature was 22.2 degrees Celsius, again one degree above normal.
On Tuesday, many wore sunglasses while stepping out to celebrate Holi. Some were seen resting under a shade after remaining under the sun for long.
Residents of Diamond City Tollygunge celebrate Basanta Utsav
“I kept drinking water as it was very warm. I was sweating profusely. The scorching sun made it difficult to play Holi outside for long. We had an adda session at home after briefly playing with abir outside,” said a south Kolkata resident.
An official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the absence of rain for weeks has led to a long stretch of warm days.
Holi celebrations in New Market and (right) a Holi reveller plays the dhol in New Market.
The official said rain pushes down the mercury briefly and as a result a long stretch of warm weather gets breaks in between. That has not happened so far this year.
The weather department said Nor’westers — which usually bring rain with them — are expected in the western districts of West Bengal from March 10. It’s not clear yet whether there will be any rain in Kolkata.
“The absence of any rain has resulted in an uninterrupted stretch of warm weather. Rain after several warm days gives a sense of relief by pushing down the temperature. This has so far not happened this year,” said an IMD official.
Holi celebrations at the Punjabee Bradaree Club in Mayfair Road
“There has not been any rain in the last three months. The atmosphere is very dry because of that,” the official said.
“There is no forecast of any rain in the city in the next two or three days at least. The western districts are likely to have rain from Nor’westers from March 10,” the official said.