The India Meteorological Department has issued an alert for a depression over the Bay of Bengal that is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm and reach the Andhra Pradesh coast around November 3.
Models project peak wind speeds of 80–90 km/h with gusts up to 100 km/h, making this system significantly weaker than Cyclone Arnab, which reached 150 km/h.
Coastal districts are preparing for widespread rainfall and squally weather, prompting advisories for fishermen to stay off the sea starting November 1.
Cyclonic Storm Brewing In Bay Of Bengal May Hit Andhra Coast On Nov 3; To Be Weaker Than Arnab: IMD
IMD issues alerts as a new cyclonic storm forms in the Bay of Bengal, expected to make landfall along the Andhra coast on November 3 with lower intensity than Cyclone Arnab
Summary
A "well-marked" low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression and is likely to turn into a cyclonic storm that may hit the Andhra Pradesh coast on November 3, India Meteorological Department officials said on Saturday.
On October 28, Cyclonic storm Arnab bruised Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with wind speeds of 150 kmph at landfall.
"The wind speed of the possible cyclonic storm is likely to be between 80 kmph and 90 kmph, with occasional gusts up to 100 kmph. It may make landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast on Tuesday morning," IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.
In a bulletin issued at 3 pm, IMD said, "The well-marked low-pressure area over Southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Andaman Sea moved west-northwestwards and concentrated into a depression at 11.30 am on October 31 over the same region."
The weather system was 330 km west-southwest of Sri Vijayapuram in the Andaman Islands and 300 km west-northwest of Car Nicobar.
"It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression over the Southeast Bay of Bengal during the next 12 hours.
"Continuing to move west-northwestwards, it is very likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm over southeast and adjoining areas of southwest and West-central Bay of Bengal during the subsequent 12 hours and reach over West-central Bay of Bengal near Andhra Pradesh coast around evening of November 2," the bulletin said.
A depression is a weather condition which is more intense than low pressure and less impactful than a cyclonic storm.
Manorama Mohanty, the director of the meteorological centre in Bhubaneswar, said "We are monitoring the system's progress and will issue further updates as it evolves," she said.
The IMD has forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers in a few districts in Odisha.
Advertisement
Published At: