StatesWeather
IMD sees a depression in the Bay of Bengal by Sunday, with gales and rough seas from Monday
A low-pressure area is expected to form on Friday and strengthen over three days as it moves west-north-west. Fishermen have been told to stay off the sea, and Odisha's coast could see rain from 27 October.
Key points
- A low-pressure area is likely over the southeast and east-central Bay of Bengal around 23 October.
- The IMD gives a high probability of a depression by the morning of 25 October, strengthening further until 28 October.
- Gale winds of 70-80 km/h, gusting to 90 km/h, are forecast over the west-central Bay from 26 October.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects a depression to form over the Bay of Bengal by the morning of Sunday, 25 October, and to keep gathering strength for three more days as it moves west-north-west.
In its bulletin on Thursday evening, the IMD said an upper-air cyclonic circulation now lay over the southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Islands. A low-pressure area is very likely to form over the same waters around Friday, 23 October. The weather office gave a high probability that it would intensify into a depression by Sunday morning, and its extended outlook shows a high chance of cyclogenesis over the week from 23 to 29 October.
It is the second system in the bay this week. Another low-pressure area off the Tamil Nadu coast has brought days of heavy rain to Chennai and the southern districts.
Winds and seas
The IMD has set out a steady build-up at sea. Squally winds of 35-45 km/h, gusting to 55 km/h, are expected over east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal from Friday evening. They are forecast to rise to 45-55 km/h on Saturday and 50-60 km/h, gusting to 70 km/h, on Sunday evening.
From Monday, 26 October, gale winds of 70-80 km/h, gusting to 90 km/h, are likely over the west-central and adjoining east-central bay. The sea is expected to turn moderate to rough on Friday evening, very rough over the central bay by Sunday, and high to very high over the west-central bay from Monday morning to Wednesday, 28 October.
Fishermen told to stay ashore
Fishermen have been advised not to go into the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal from Friday evening to Sunday, and into the west-central and adjoining southwest bay from 26 to 28 October. The IMD has asked fisheries departments and harbour authorities to alert boats, and port, shipping and offshore operators to review their preparedness and watch for possible restrictions from 23 to 29 October. Maritime agencies have been told to check their communication, vessel tracking and search and rescue arrangements.
What it means for Odisha
On land, Odisha is expected to stay dry until 26 October. From 27 October, light to moderate rain or thundershowers are likely at isolated places in several coastal districts, with yellow warnings for thunderstorms and gusty winds of 30-40 km/h on 26 and 27 October. The Bhubaneswar Met Centre has flagged the possibility of heavy rain later at isolated places including Balasore, Kendujhar, Mayurbhanj, Puri and Ganjam. Temperatures are not expected to change much over the next week.
The IMD has not yet said whether the system will become a cyclone or where it might cross the coast. The next bulletins, once the low-pressure area actually forms, should give a clearer picture of its track. The weather office has asked people to follow its Mausam, Damini and Meghdoot apps for warnings.