Twin Squalls Wreak Havoc in Kolkata and Dum Dum, Disrupting Air Travel
Kolkata and its neighboring area of Dum Dum were hit by two intense squalls on Monday night, occurring just minutes apart, leading to significant disruptions including uprooted trees and delayed flight operations at Kolkata Airport. While most parts of the city experienced limited impact, the Alipore area recorded wind speeds reaching up to 63 kmph at 8.55 pm.
Severe Weather Conditions and Flight Diversions
A more severe squall struck Dum Dum at 9.05 pm, with wind gusts peaking at 76 kmph. This storm forced incoming flights to hover over the city until conditions improved, delaying safe landings. Four flights were diverted—three to Bhubaneswar and one to Guwahati—with flights only able to resume landings around 9.45 pm. An airport official reported that at least 10 flights were held in the sky, and departing flights were also stalled on the tarmac.
The squall caused extensive damage at the airport, overturning guard rails set up by police at the entrance, blowing away signage, and tearing hoardings on billboards to shreds. Initial assessments indicate that at least a dozen trees were uprooted across Kolkata during the storm.
Forecast for More Thunderstorms Ahead
Monday night's thundershower may be a precursor to wetter days, as the Met office predicts rain in Kolkata from Monday to Thursday. The city is expected to experience at least one spell of thundershower daily, keeping temperatures within normal ranges. H R Biswas, head of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata, stated, "The highest likelihood of intense thundershower activity is on Wednesday."
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), two weather systems are contributing to the increased thunderstorm activity across most parts of Bengal:
- An upper air cyclonic circulation over Odisha and adjoining areas.
- A trough extending from northeast Uttar Pradesh to east Vidarbha across east Madhya Pradesh.
These systems, combined with favorable wind patterns and strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal, have intensified the thunderstorms. On Monday, Kolkata recorded a maximum temperature of 33.6°C, which is 1.6 degrees below normal, and a minimum of 22.7°C, 2.5°C below normal.
