Is it raining now in Howrah?
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25 AugNo upcoming precipitation for the next hour.
Last update: 04:30, 25 Aug 2026
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Rain in Howrah: What You Need to Know
Howrah weather can turn violent with almost no warning each pre-monsoon afternoon — Kalbaisakhi nor'westers bring gale winds over 100 km/h and torrential short bursts, sometimes hail, typically striking in the afternoon or just before sunset with sudden dark cloud buildup. A hyperlocal radar is what actually shows a Pilkhana or Tikiapara resident whether that kind of cell is building right now, not a single monsoon-season average across the roughly 1,683 mm the city receives annually.
Howrah sits on the low-lying eastern bank of the Hooghly River, where tidal influence and Ganges-distributary discharge intensify flooding well beyond what the rainfall total alone would suggest. Kalbaisakhi thunderstorms form over the Chhotanagpur Plateau to the west and race in fast, adding a violent pre-monsoon threat on top of the June–September southwest monsoon that most drier interior districts simply don't face.
RainViewer pulls its India Meteorological Department (IMD) radar feed into a live map updated every 5 minutes, tracking cells across Howrah and the Hooghly River's eastern bank. What a single citywide rainfall figure can't show is whether the cell building toward Pilkhana right now is a passing shower or a Kalbaisakhi nor'wester — the live map does.
Rain by Season in Howrah
Southwest Monsoon (June–September)
Howrah's southwest monsoon runs June through September, with July the wettest month at roughly 348 mm. This is the window when 35 of the Howrah Municipal Corporation's 66 wards face waterlogging, with Pilkhana and Tikiapara struggling most as local jalas, the swamps that once absorbed excess water, can no longer drain the monsoon accumulation.
Pre-Monsoon Kalbaisakhi (March–May)
March through May brings Kalbaisakhi nor'wester season, when gale winds over 100 km/h and torrential short bursts form over the Chhotanagpur Plateau and strike Howrah with almost no warning, typically in the afternoon or just before sunset. This is the city's least predictable stretch — the Howrah Bridge's exposure to gale winds and the jute mills in Shibpur both face their sharpest disruption risk in these sudden storms.
Dry Season (November–February)
From November through February, Howrah stays largely dry with monthly rainfall below 28 mm, and Howrah Junction's rail traffic and the jute and engineering sectors run without the flood disruption that defines the rest of the year. October sits in between as a transitional month, when the monsoon retreats but Bay of Bengal cyclones can still bring rain — a risk IMD tracks closely given Durga Puja pandal crowds fall right at this tail end.
Why You Need a Rain Radar in Howrah
Pilkhana and Tikiapara residents
Pilkhana and Tikiapara are the two Howrah Municipal Corporation wards that struggle most with waterlogging, among 35 of the city's 66 wards affected, because local jalas can no longer drain monsoon accumulation. Residents checking the radar before heading out can see whether a cell is currently pooling in either ward.
Jute mill workers
Howrah Mills Co. Ltd, founded in 1890, and the Fort William and Bengal jute mills in Shibpur process a commodity directly sensitive to monsoon humidity and flooding. Workers checking the radar before a shift can see whether a Kalbaisakhi cell or monsoon downpour is likely to disrupt that day's processing schedule.
Howrah Junction rail travelers
Howrah Junction, India's largest and busiest railway complex, opened in 1854 and remains vulnerable to monsoon waterlogging and delays. Travelers checking the radar before heading to the station can see whether a cell is likely to affect that day's departure.
Howrah Bridge commuters to Kolkata
The Howrah Bridge, the cantilever link to Kolkata, is directly exposed to Kalbaisakhi gale winds that can exceed 100 km/h with almost no warning. Commuters checking the radar before crossing can see whether a nor'wester is building over the Chhotanagpur Plateau approach.
Durga Puja pandal visitors
Durga Puja pandals across Howrah draw huge outdoor crowds during the 16–21 October 2026 festival, which falls right at the monsoon's tail end when Bay of Bengal cyclonic circulation can still bring rain, a risk IMD tracks specifically for pandal crowds. Visitors checking the radar before heading to a pandal can see whether a late-season system is approaching.
RainViewer Radar Coverage in Howrah
RainViewer draws radar data for India from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) via mausam.imd.gov.in, updated every 5 minutes. Coverage is strongest across the Gangetic Plain, western coast, and major cities; sparser in the Himalayan foothills and remote northeast. Coverage extends across the Hooghly River to Kolkata and along the Gangetic delta toward the Bay of Bengal, giving a continuous view of both the Chhotanagpur Plateau storms feeding Kalbaisakhi and the cyclonic systems that can affect Durga Puja.
Howrah Rain Radar: Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it raining in Howrah right now?
The only accurate answer is a live radar, because Howrah faces two distinct rain threats — sudden Kalbaisakhi nor'westers with gale winds over 100 km/h in March–May, and steady southwest monsoon rain from June–September — and either can build with little warning. A hyperlocal radar reading shows which one is developing, pulling India Meteorological Department (IMD) data that RainViewer refreshes every 5 minutes.
- Should I visit a Durga Puja pandal today?
Visiting a Durga Puja pandal is workable to plan around a live radar check, since the 16–21 October 2026 festival falls at the monsoon's tail end when Bay of Bengal cyclonic circulation can still bring rain to outdoor crowds. Checking the radar before heading out beats relying on a single seasonal forecast.
- Does rain affect the Howrah Bridge or the commute to Kolkata?
The Howrah Bridge is directly exposed to Kalbaisakhi gale winds that can exceed 100 km/h with almost no warning, a risk distinct from the steady flooding of the southwest monsoon. Checking the radar 20–30 minutes before crossing shows whether a nor'wester is building over the Chhotanagpur Plateau approach.
- Does Howrah flood when it rains?
Yes — 35 of the Howrah Municipal Corporation's 66 wards face waterlogging during the monsoon, with Pilkhana and Tikiapara struggling most because local jalas can no longer drain the accumulation, and a Rs 4,700 crore drainage overhaul across six canals is underway to address it. Avoid these wards during heavy rain, and check the radar rather than assuming a citywide rainfall figure applies to your street.
- When is the best time to visit Howrah to avoid rain?
November through February is Howrah's driest stretch, with monthly rainfall below 28 mm, avoiding both the Kalbaisakhi nor'wester season and the southwest monsoon. Visiting during Durga Puja in October still works, but checking the radar before heading to a pandal avoids a late-season Bay of Bengal system.
- Why is rain in Howrah so hard to predict?
Howrah's low-lying eastern bank of the Hooghly River sits under tidal influence and Ganges-distributary discharge, which intensifies flooding well beyond what the rainfall total alone suggests, and Kalbaisakhi nor'westers form over the Chhotanagpur Plateau and race in fast enough to strike with almost no warning. That combination — a river-driven amplifier plus sudden pre-monsoon storms — is why Pilkhana can flood while a ward a few kilometers away stays dry.
- How often does the Howrah rain radar update?
RainViewer's hyperlocal radar for Howrah updates every 5 minutes, drawing on India Meteorological Department (IMD) data via mausam.imd.gov.in. That refresh rate is fast enough to catch a Kalbaisakhi cell building over the Chhotanagpur Plateau before it reaches the Howrah Bridge.
- Can I get a warning before rain hits Howrah?
Setting a rain alert for a specific point, such as a home near Pilkhana or a route across the Howrah Bridge, gives warning before a cell arrives instead of after. RainViewer fires that alert automatically once the radar detects the cell approaching, enough lead time to move indoors before a Kalbaisakhi gale hits.
Track Rain in Howrah in Real Time
Every Kalbaisakhi season, gale winds over 100 km/h can hit Howrah with almost no warning, building over the Chhotanagpur Plateau in an afternoon.
Howrah faces two separate rain threats — sudden pre-monsoon nor'westers and steady southwest monsoon flooding — so a single seasonal average can't tell a Pilkhana resident or a Howrah Bridge commuter what's happening right now. Only a live map catches the timing.
Your weather app says scattered thunderstorms for Howrah this afternoon. RainViewer shows a Kalbaisakhi cell building fast over the Chhotanagpur Plateau, with gale winds likely to reach the Howrah Bridge within the hour.
Track rain in Howrah — free Upgrade to Essential for alerts, forecasts, and full radar history
2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices
RainViewer's 2-hour forecast in 5-minute slices shows exactly when a Kalbaisakhi cell over the Chhotanagpur Plateau is likely to reach the Howrah Bridge, in far finer steps than an hourly forecast.
Rain alerts before arrival
Set a rain alert for a home near Pilkhana or a Howrah Bridge crossing, and RainViewer fires it before the cell arrives, not after.
Direction arrows on the map
Direction arrows show whether an incoming cell is tracking in from the Chhotanagpur Plateau to the west, the direction that feeds Howrah's Kalbaisakhi storms.
48 hours of radar history
48 hours of radar history shows how the last Pilkhana waterlogging event actually tracked across the city.
Multiple locations
Track a home near Pilkhana, a Howrah Bridge crossing, and Howrah Junction at the same time, each with its own alert.
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