<p>Image used for representational purpose only<br></p>

KOLKATA: A 10-day dry spell in the middle of monsoon—a window, which the KMC seeks to repair the city’s potholed roads —is a near impossibility, says the Met office . August is the second rainiest of the three monsoon months and has been extremely wet in recent years. Last August had been the driest since 2012 but even then, the city received 15% more rain than normal. This year, Kolkata has a rainfall surplus of 18% so far.

“Climatologically, it is almost impossible to have a 10-day dry period now. While monsoon rain happens in cycles and occasional dry spells are not rare, intermittent drizzles make sure they don’t stretch beyond threefour days,” said Regional Meteorological Centre director G K Das. The KMC may be tempted to draw hope from the six-day dry patch in June, after the onset of monsoon. But weathermen said it was prompted by exceptional circumstances that had not happened in three decades.

“The monsoon trough had come to a halt across the country. Since summer still prevailed in north India, dry winds had been blowing that pushed the mercury up. But those conditions won’t be repeated in August,” added Das.

The next 48 hours were set to be rainy. A low-pressure over north-west Bay of Bengal could trigger moderate showers in Kolkata and south Bengal. But the rain would not be heavy, predicted the Met office. West Midnapore, Bankura and coastal Odisha could be affected more. “But we are going to have rain in the next few days, a dry spell is ruled out,” said Das.

August 2017 recorded 385.9 mm of rainfall, 15% above the normal mark. This was the driest August in the past five years. In 2013, the city received 103% more than the normal count in August, making it the wettest.

A wet July is usually followed by a moderate August. “Showers depend on the presence and activity of systems that drive rainfall in monsoon. August has been good so far,” said Das.

