Storm batters Dooars & Siliguri, 2 die Heavy rain forecast for 24 hours

The factory of the Mujnai garden after the roof was blown away in the storm. Picture by Anirban Choudhury

Siliguri, May 4: The weather department has warned of more rounds of severe thunderstorm in north Bengal and Sikkim over the next 24 hours as an upper air cyclonic circulation is prevailing over Jharkhand and the adjoining areas.

According to weather experts, the upper air cyclonic circulation, added to a low pressure trough that has been prevailing in the region for the past one week, is resulting in powerful thunderstorms like the one that occurred last night.

“The formation of a low-pressure trough is a normal feature during pre-monsoon days. This is responsible for moisture incursion from the Bay of Bengal and squalls and rain of low intensity in isolated areas,” G.N. Raha, who is in charge of the regional meteorological centre in Gangtok, told The Telegraph over the phone today. .

“Currently, such a low pressure trough is passing over the region. However, over the past two days, an upper air cyclonic circulation has also formed over Jharkhand and adjoining areas. The combined effect of both the systems triggered the powerful thunder storm in north Bengal and Sikkim last night,” added Raha.

The India Meteorological Department, under which the Gangtok centre comes, said there would be severe thunderstorms in north Bengal and Sikkim till tomorrow morning.

“The IMD has forecast severe thunderstorms for six north Bengal districts and Sikkim as the upper air cyclonic circulation is likely to stay for the next 24 hours,” said Raha.

Subir Sarkar, the in-charge of the Weather Observation Centre at North Bengal University, said the region had already received around 14 squalls this summer and there were chances that more would occur in the current month.

“Hailstorm is a normal feature in April and May. The low pressure trough formed over Bay of Bengal brings sufficient moisture to the region and when this is accompanied by high temperature, cumulonimbus clouds are formed, leading to a hailstorm,” said Sarkar.