Cyclone Likely to Hit North Andhra, South Odisha Coast on Oct 28

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on 23 October that a low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal is likely to become a depression on 24 October and a cyclonic storm by the morning of 26 October, with landfall possible on the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast on the morning of 28 October. IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the exact time and place of landfall will be known once the system becomes a depression, and the forecast may change.

Wind and Sea Warnings Start Today

Winds over the Bay are forecast at 45 to 55 km/h, gusting to 65 km/h, on 24 October, rising to 55 to 65 km/h, gusting to 75 km/h, on 25 October. By the morning of 26 October they are expected to reach 70 to 80 km/h, gusting to 90 km/h, and to strengthen further as the system nears the coast, OdishaTV reported from Mohapatra’s briefing. Fishermen have been told not to venture into the central and southeast Bay from 23 to 25 October. The Andaman Islands have heavy rain until 25 October.

Extremely Heavy Rain on 28 and 29 October

Coastal Odisha is forecast to get rain from 26 October, heavy to very heavy rain on 27 October and extremely heavy rain on 28 and 29 October. The News Mill, citing the IMD forecast, reported isolated extremely heavy rain in Ganjam, Gajapati and Puri, and more than 20 cm in 24 hours over north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha at the peak on 28 October. Heavy rain is also expected in West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar on 28 and 29 October. Travellers and farmers on this coast should watch district bulletins, because the track can still shift.

Also read Two Bay of Bengal Lows Likely This Week, Orange Alert for Chennai

Earlier Forecasts Gave No Landfall Date

Until this week, IMD had issued no cyclone warning. IPB’s earlier reports, Bay of Bengal Depression Likely by October 25 and Odisha Stays Dry Till October 26, recorded that Odisha was expected to stay dry until 26 October. The new IMD outlook moves the heavy rain forward and gives the first landfall window.

The next IMD bulletin, due once the depression forms, is expected to fix the landfall time and place and to name the districts under orange or red alert. More coverage is in Weather Updates.

Source: India Meteorological Department (RSMC New Delhi). Also based on reporting by OdishaTV and The News Mill.

Image: File photo.