The spectre of rain looms over Durga Puja.
The Met office has predicted rain in Bengal in two phases — October 5 to 9 and October 10 to 13. The rain is unlikely to be heavy, the Met office said.
Mahalaya falls on October 2 this year. October 9 is Sashthi.
According to a bulletin issued from the Regional Meteorological Centre in Alipore, the forecast for October 5 to 9, for both south Bengal and north Bengal, is: "Light to moderate rain/thundershower likely at many places over all the districts".
The forecast for October 10 to 13: "Light rain/thundershower likely at a few places over all the districts".
"Rain is expected in Calcutta in these two phases. But heavy rain is unlikely," said a Met official.
The India Meteorological Department issued an extended range forecast for India for next two weeks (till October 9). "Rainfall is likely to be above normal over most parts of central, east and northeast India; normal to above normal over northwest and south Peninsular India during the week (October 2 to 9)," the forecast said.
"Southwest monsoon is likely to withdraw from some more parts of northwest and adjoining central India during the week," it added.
"Southwest monsoon withdrew from some parts of West Rajasthan and Kachchh on September 23; further withdrew from some more parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, some parts of Punjab and Haryana on September 24," it said.
The onset of monsoon is complete when it reaches Rajasthan. Similarly, the beginning of monsoon's departure is marked by its withdrawal from the desert state. The usual date of monsoon withdrawal from south Bengal is around October 15.
A trough and a cyclonic circulation triggered heavy rain in Calcutta and several other parts of south Bengal between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The rain continued well into Thursday night. Friday was sunny in parts.
"The weather in south Bengal is likely to improve....Rain, if any, is likely to be in the form of localised thundershowers," said H.R. Biswas, head of the weather section at the RMC, Calcutta.
