Darjeeling, 13 March (TSP Bangla) – Siliguri and adjoining areas, along with the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, witnessed a sudden spell of intense rainfall on Wednesday evening and night after nearly four months of dry weather.
Officials of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said similar conditions are likely to continue across the Darjeeling hills and the adjoining plains of north Bengal and Sikkim over the next few days. A yellow alert has been issued for several parts of Sikkim, valid till March 16, warning of thunderstorms, gusty winds and heavy rainfall.
Meteorologists attributed the change in weather to a cyclonic circulation, coupled with a strong moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal. “This has significantly influenced atmospheric conditions in the region, and the current weather pattern is expected to persist till the middle of next week,” said G.N. Raha of the regional Met office in Gangtok.
He added that intense spells of rain and snowfall are also likely in higher altitudes of Sikkim, including Gangtok, Gyalshing, Namchi, Soreng, Mangan and Pakyong.
Heavy rainfall has also been forecast for Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts over the next 48 hours, with some areas expected to receive between 70mm and 110mm of rain. Thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 40–50 kmph and lightning are likely across most parts of north Bengal.
The rainfall has brought some relief to tea growers in the region. A tea planter based in Siliguri said the showers are beneficial for the first and second flush teas and expressed hope for more rain in the coming days.
On Thursday evening, Siliguri recorded another spell of heavy rain, accompanied by lightning and thunder.
