A low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a depression by November 15, bringing squally weather and strong winds over parts of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday.
The system formed at 5.30 am under the influence of an upper-air cyclonic circulation over the central Andaman Sea and adjoining Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is expected to move northwestwards and become a well-marked low-pressure area around November 14 before strengthening into a depression by November 15, the IMD said.
Squally weather, with wind speeds of 50 kmph and gusts of up to 60 kmph, is likely over the Andaman Sea on November 13 and 14 and over the southeast Bay of Bengal from November 13 to 16.
Wind speeds could increase to 55 kmph, with gusts reaching 65 kmph, over the southwest Bay of Bengal from November 15 to 17 and over the central Bay of Bengal on November 16 and 17.
The developing system comes days after two successive cyclones — Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab and Severe Cyclonic Storm Murasu — crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast.
Arnab made landfall near Narsapur on October 28 as a very severe cyclonic storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125-135 kmph and gusts of up to 150 kmph. At least six people were killed, according to reports.
Murasu crossed the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur, close to Ongole, during the early hours of November 3 as a severe cyclonic storm, with sustained wind speeds of 100-110 kmph and gusts of up to 120 kmph. Its remnants brought extremely heavy rainfall to isolated parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on November 5.
The IMD had earlier forecast the formation of another low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal around November 13. Meteorologists had said its eventual track and intensification remained uncertain.
(With inputs from Agencies)