Cyclonic Storm moves towards West Bengal; likely to hit the shores in next couple of days

New Delhi:  The low pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal is very likely to intensify rapidly into a Cyclonic Storm by today evening and further into a severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours, the Cyclone Warning Division of the India Meteorological Department, said here on Saturday.  It is very likely to move north-north-westwards initially till 17^th May and then re-curve north-north-eastwards across north-west Bay of Bengal towards West Bengal coast during 18^th to 20^th May 2020.

At present the low pressure area is concentration into a depression over Southeast Bay of Bengal and “lay centred at 0530 hrs IST of today, near latitude 10.4°N and longitude 87.0°E, about 1100 km south of Paradip (Odisha), 1250 km south of Digha (West Bengal) and 1330 km south-southwest of Khepupara(Bangladesh)”.

Forecast track and intensity are given in the following table:

Warnings:

(i) Rainfall (over Andaman & Nicobar Islands):

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• Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy falls at isolated places is very likely over Andaman & Nicobar Islands on  16^th May.
• Rainfall (over Odisha & Gangetic West Bengal)

Coastal Odisha is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall with heavy falls at isolated places from 18^th May evening and heavy to very heavy rainfalls at a few places on 19^th May and isolated heavy rainfall over northern Odisha coast on 20^th May 2020. Coastal districts of Gangetic West Bengal are likely to experience light to moderate rainfall with heavy falls at a few places on 19^th May and heavy to very heavy falls at a few places with extremely heavy falls at isolated places over Gangetic West Bengal on 20^th May.

(ii) Wind warning

• Squally wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely along and off Odisha coast from 19^th morning and along and off West Bengal coast from 19^th afternoon. The wind speed will gradually increase becoming gale wind speed reaching 65 to 75 kmph from 20^th morning along and off north Odisha and West Bengal coast. It will gradually increase thereafter.
• Squally wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is likely over Andaman Sea during next 48 hours.
• Squally wind speed reaching 45 to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is prevailing over southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal.  It is likely to increase becoming 90-100 gusting to 110 kmph over eastcentral  and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal by 17^th morning, 120-130 gusting to 145 kmph over southern parts of central Bay of Bengal by 18^th morning, 155-165 gusting to 180 kmph over northern parts of central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Bay of Bengal on 19^th , and 160-170 gusting to 190 kmph over north Bay of Bengal by 20^th morning.

(iii) Sea condition

Sea condition will be rough to very rough over south & adjoining central Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea till 16^th May afternoon. It will be High over southwest and adjoining central Bay of Bengal from the 16^th May evening, very high over the same region from 17^th morning. It will become phenomenal over southern parts of central Bay of Bengal on 18^th, over northern parts of central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Bay of Bengal on 19^th May and over north Bay of Bengal on 20^th May 2020.

(iv)  Fishermen Warning

• The fishermen are advised not to venture into south Bay of Bengal from 16^th to 17^th May, to central Bay of Bengal 17^th to 18^th May and north Bay of Bengal during 19 to 20^th May 2020.
• Also, fishermen are advised not to venture into north Bay of Bengal along and off North Odisha, West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh coast during 18^th to 20^th May 2020.[the_ad_placement id=”sidebar-feed”]