Kolkata is waking up to another wet, waterlogged morning. The city logged 93.6 mm of rain till 11.30 am on Tuesday, most of it falling through Monday night, and the India Meteorological Department’s Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata has now put an orange alert on the city and the districts around it for today, September 2. A low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal and adjoining West Bengal has strengthened into a depression and is tracking north-westwards across Gangetic Bengal towards Jharkhand, and it is dragging a fresh, heavier round of rain behind it.
How Much Rain Has Fallen So Far
South Kolkata bore the brunt of Monday night’s downpour. Gariahat, Jadavpur and Behala all saw heavy rain overnight, while North Kolkata neighbourhoods such as Shyambazar and Sinthee got off comparatively lightly. The official gauges tell the same story: Salt Lake recorded 40.6 mm, Barrackpore 42 mm and Alipore 23 mm, while Canning logged 44 mm and Panagarh 50 mm in the same window, according to figures reported by Millennium Post and corroborated by RMC Kolkata’s bulletins.
Roads and Areas Worst Hit by Waterlogging
The overnight rain left several South Kolkata roads under water, including Gopal Mukherjee Road, Amir Ali Avenue, Loudon Street, Theatre Road, Rodon Street, Elgin Road, Justice Chandramadhab Road, DH Road, Taratala and CGR Road. The Hastings Down Ramp and parts of Kidderpore were also affected, snarling the morning rush-hour commute. In North Kolkata, College Street and the Thanthania area stayed waterlogged well into the day. If you are heading through any of these stretches today, budget extra travel time and, where possible, pick a route around them rather than through.
What IMD Expects for Kolkata Today, September 2
For Wednesday, IMD has forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers at most places in South Bengal, with heavy to very heavy rain of 70 to 200 mm likely at isolated places in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, Bankura, East and West Burdwan, Birbhum and Purulia. Gusty winds of 40 to 50 kmph may accompany thunderstorms in East Midnapore and South 24 Parganas, while other districts could see winds of 30 to 40 kmph. An orange alert is in force for Kolkata and the districts immediately around it, and a red alert has been issued for the districts facing the sharpest rainfall totals, including Bankura, Purulia, West Burdwan and Birbhum.
North Bengal Braces for a Longer Spell
The hills and the Dooars are not out of the woods either. Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar are all expected to see heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday as the wider monsoon system keeps North Bengal unsettled for longer than the city.
How This Compares to Last Week’s System
This is a separate weather system from the one that brought a thunderstorm and lightning warning to Kolkata and Howrah on August 25. That earlier low had already begun tracking away from Bengal by the time it was flagged. This time, the system has strengthened into a depression while sitting almost directly over the state, which is why today’s alert is a step up, an orange alert for the city rather than the isolated thunderstorm warning of last week, with red alerts in the districts taking the heaviest rain.
Getting Around Kolkata Today
With several arterial South Kolkata roads waterlogged and more rain forecast through the day, road transport is likely to be the least predictable way to get around. Kolkata’s suburban rail and Metro networks generally hold up better in heavy rain than road traffic, though services can still see delays if water enters low-lying tracks. If you are planning your commute, our Kolkata local train guide to the Sealdah and Howrah lines is a useful backup option to check before you head out.
Staying Safe Today
- Avoid Gopal Mukherjee Road, Amir Ali Avenue, Loudon Street, Theatre Road, Elgin Road, DH Road, Taratala, CGR Road and the Hastings Down Ramp if you can, since these were already waterlogged this morning.
- Carry rain gear and build in extra commute time, especially if you are travelling through South Kolkata or the Kidderpore stretch.
- During thunderstorms, move indoors to a solid structure. Stay away from trees, electric poles and open water.
- Watch for traffic diversions if rain intensifies through the day, particularly around College Street and Thanthania in North Kolkata.
- Keep an eye on RMC Kolkata’s updates through the day, since today’s bulletin will be revised as the depression moves further inland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a red alert for Kolkata today?
Kolkata itself is under an orange alert for September 2. The red alert applies to districts facing the heaviest rainfall totals, including Bankura, Purulia, West Burdwan and Birbhum.
Which Kolkata roads are waterlogged right now?
South Kolkata stretches including Gopal Mukherjee Road, Amir Ali Avenue, Loudon Street, Theatre Road, Rodon Street, Elgin Road, Justice Chandramadhab Road, DH Road, Taratala, CGR Road, the Hastings Down Ramp and Kidderpore were waterlogged after Monday night’s rain, along with College Street and Thanthania in North Kolkata.
How much rain has Kolkata received?
The city logged 93.6 mm of rain till 11.30 am on Tuesday, September 1, with South Kolkata seeing more rain than the northern parts of the city.
Will the rain continue through the week?
Yes. IMD expects the depression to keep tracking north-westwards across Gangetic Bengal towards Jharkhand, with heavy rain likely across several South Bengal districts today, and North Bengal districts including Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar facing heavy rain through Thursday.
The Bottom Line
Today’s orange alert is a genuine step up from last week’s isolated thunderstorm warning, driven by a depression sitting almost directly over Gangetic Bengal rather than a weaker system passing through. South Kolkata’s usual trouble spots are already waterlogged, and more heavy rain is forecast before the system moves on towards Jharkhand. Plan your commute with some slack today, and check back with Kolkata Dekho as IMD updates the picture.
Sources: Millennium Post (“Rain leaves city waterlogged, traffic hit,” published 2 September 2026), IMD Regional Meteorological Centre Kolkata bulletins, with district-forecast figures corroborated by The Hans India and Asianet Newsable.
Featured image: Kolkata street flooded during monsoon rain, photo by Dibakar Roy on Unsplash.
