Kolkata Weather Alert in September 2026: Rain, Thunderstorms and Vishwakarma Puja

What drove the Kolkata weather search spike

If you looked up kolkata weather in mid-September 2026, you were likely checking for rain and thunderstorm updates during the Vishwakarma Puja window. Google Trends India recorded about 1,000 searches for the term on 17 September 2026, with roughly 75% growth over the previous period. The spike coincided with official alerts from the Alipore weather office for Kolkata and several West Bengal districts.

Google Trends data measures approximate search activity, not actual rainfall. It confirms user interest, not the truth of any weather claim.

Alipore office forecast for Kolkata and South Bengal

On 17 September 2026, the Alipore meteorological office warned of thunderstorms with lightning across Kolkata and South Bengal districts including East and West Medinipur, Jhargram, Howrah, Hooghly, Bankura, and Purulia. Wind gusts of 30 to 40 km/h were possible along with rain. An orange alert for thunderstorm with lightning was in place for several districts, while Kolkata and other areas faced scattered lightning rain.

• East and West Medinipur, Jhargram, Howrah, Hooghly, Bankura, Purulia: orange alert for thunderstorm with lightning
• Kolkata and remaining districts: scattered thunderstorm with lightning possible
• North Bengal: yellow alert for heavy rain in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar on Thursday

According to Sangbad Pratidin, two seasonal troughs drove the moisture and rain threat. One stretched from a low-pressure area near the northeast Arabian Sea through Dausa, Jaipur, Agra, Lucknow, Gaya, and Sagar Island to the northeast Bay of Bengal. Another ran from North Gangetic West Bengal to North Odisha. Moisture entering Bengal kept discomfort high even when rain was not falling.

The Wall reported that on Saturday, Kolkata, both 24 Parganas, both Medinipur, Jhargram, Purulia and Bankura were likely to see rain in many places, while other districts could see isolated showers.

Vishwakarma Puja impact and safety context

The forecast covered the Vishwakarma Puja period from 17 to 21 September 2026. Traders, puja pandal builders, and outdoor market workers were advised to take extra precautions because of lightning, gusty winds, and possible disruption to open-air work. The Wall noted that the weather office expected conditions to persist from Thursday through Sunday, with only slight easing by Saturday in some areas.

Authorities suggested carrying umbrellas and staying cautious around bamboo pandal structures, electrical equipment, and open spaces.

Why this is not a current weather report

The source excerpts used here are dated 17 September 2026, and the current date is 12 November 2026. Rain eased in north Bengal by late September but persisted in parts of South Bengal, according to the original reporting. These details should not be used to plan travel or events today. For today's kolkata weather forecast, check the India Meteorological Department or the Alipore weather office directly.