Kolkata: Some areas in the city received an intense spell of rain along with massive lightning strikes on Sunday despite the morning being sunny. According to the Met office, such sharp showers are a normal phenomenon during the retreat of the monsoon. Met officials have predicted that though the chances of rain are bleak on Monday, there is a high possibility of rain across south Bengal between Tuesday and Wednesday.The withdrawal line of southwest monsoon has started entering Jharkhand and Bihar. But officials of the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Kolkata said it was too early for them to conclude when the monsoon would retreat from the state. The head of RMC Kolkata, HR Biswas, said a trough line was prevailing over the city prior to the monsoon withdrawal amid the circulation of two opposing wind systems — the westerly and the easterly. The day time heating amid availability of moisture triggers the formation of thundercloud, said Biswas.Met officials said the thundercloud formed over some pockets in the city — especially in parts of northern Kolkata and its suburbs — was powerful. Despite the intensity of the spell, it lasted for about half an hour. Alipore recorded 1.4 mm of rain. The Met office has allayed the fear of heavy downpour during the puja days for now, adding that it was early to forecast on puja weather. Monsoon had arrived in the city on June 12.
