For many in Kolkata, early November usually means a light shawl in the evening and pandal-hopping in pleasant weather. This year, the chill is running late. Cyclone Murasu, which made landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast, has kept West Bengal warm, cloudy and humid, even though the storm itself is far away.
The meteorological department said on Tuesday that the cyclone's indirect influence has pushed temperatures above normal across the state. The good news for festival-goers is that relief seems close. Weather conditions are expected to improve from Thursday, November 5, and temperatures are likely to dip before Kali Puja on November 8.
Bengal is not expected to face any direct impact from Cyclone Murasu. Coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu are under a red alert for heavy rainfall. Still, the system has pulled moisture and cloud cover over Bengal, and that is what is holding off the cooler nights.
On Tuesday, the sky is expected to stay partly cloudy across all districts, with isolated spells of light rain.
In north Bengal, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar may get light rain at one or two places, while the remaining three districts are likely to stay dry.
In south Bengal, isolated light to moderate rain with thunderstorms is likely in North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia. Other districts should see mostly dry weather.
Kolkata's sticky November
Kolkata's numbers show why the city doesn't feel wintry yet. On Monday, the maximum temperature was 31.04°C, just above the normal of 31 degrees. The bigger story was at night: the minimum of 25.02°C was 2.03 degrees above normal. Relative humidity ranged between 67 and 95 per cent, which kept the air heavy and uncomfortable.
Warm nights are usually what delay the feeling of winter. Days in early November are often mild anyway, but the season really arrives when night temperatures begin to drop. Cloud cover traps heat close to the ground, so as long as the skies stay overcast, the nights stay warm.
Why the festive timing matters
The forecast matters well beyond weather charts. Kali Puja and the festive week around it bring huge crowds to pandals, markets and streets across Kolkata and south Bengal. Organisers and street vendors keep a close watch on the forecast, since even light rain can disrupt late-night crowds and outdoor decorations.
The department expects mainly dry conditions across the state from Wednesday to Saturday, with rain gradually tapering off. As the clouds clear, night temperatures should fall steadily, setting the stage for winter to arrive around Kali Puja.
If the forecast holds, Bengal could move from muggy to mildly cool within days. For residents who have waited through a humid start to November, the festival may come with the season's first real hint of winter.
