Overview
- The India Meteorological Department and the Regional Meteorological Centre issued forecasts on Friday, Oct 9, that predict light to moderate rain over Kolkata and several south Bengal districts during the festival's core days.
- IMD guidance narrows the heaviest chances to Oct 15–17 while the RMC outlines a slightly wider window from Oct 14–19, reflecting normal short-range timing uncertainty.
- Both agencies say isolated light rain or thundershowers remain possible on Saptami and Ashtami, Oct 18–19, before mainly dry conditions return on Navami and Dashami, Oct 20–21.
- Community organisers have publicly expressed concern that rain could ruin months of delicate pandal artwork and disrupt pandal-hopping and crowd activities, a risk voiced by organisers including Uttam Ghosh.
- Thousands of temporary pandals across Kolkata and nearby districts such as North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, East and West Midnapore and Jhargram are at risk, so organisers and visitors should monitor short-range updates and shelter plans.