Telegram lightning alerts · Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Kolkata faces two separate lightning seasons: the violent Kalbaisakhi (Nor'wester) squalls of March–May that develop suddenly over the city, and the south-west monsoon thunderstorms of June–September. ThunderWatchBot watches a live global lightning stream and sends a Telegram alert with strike distance and a map link the moment lightning enters your chosen radius.
Lightning in West Bengal
West Bengal is one of India's most lightning-active states. The combination of pre-monsoon Nor'westers and monsoon storms means Kolkata residents, outdoor workers and commuters face lightning risk for more than half the year.
Nor'westers are fast-moving squall lines that typically develop in the afternoon, move north-east and pass over Kolkata within an hour. They produce intense lightning and heavy rain. A 20 km radius alert gives 20–40 minutes of lead time to move indoors or secure outdoor events.
The Bay of Bengal branch of the south-west monsoon reaches Kolkata in early June. Afternoons and evenings bring prolonged thunderstorm activity across West Bengal through September.
Kolkata's ongoing metro, flyover and infrastructure projects keep thousands of workers in exposed conditions. A Telegram bot alert is a practical signal for supervisors to halt work on high scaffolding or cranes.
Outdoor events, cricket practice sessions and sports tournaments at the Maidan or club grounds can be affected by sudden Nor'westers. Setting a 15–20 km radius lets organizers act before the storm reaches the venue.
FAQ
Open ThunderWatchBot, send your GPS location and set a radius in kilometers. You get a Telegram message with distance and a map link each time a strike is detected within your range.
March–May (Kalbaisakhi Nor'wester season) and June–September (monsoon). Nor'westers are particularly dangerous because they develop and arrive very quickly.
This depends on your radius setting. A 30 km radius typically gives 20–40 minutes of warning for a Nor'wester moving at typical squall-line speeds. You can change the radius any time with /radius.
Nor'westers arrive without much notice
Open the bot in Telegram, send your location and choose a radius. When a Nor'wester or monsoon storm brings lightning toward Kolkata, Telegram will tell you first.
Go to @ThunderWatchBot