BHUBANESWAR: The post-monsoon season’s first tropical storm in the making started off as a cyclonic circulation lay over the central Andaman Sea on Saturday.
It will intensify into a depression and continue to move in northwest direction. “Its further track and intensity can be determined once the low-pressure area forms,” DG of India Meteorological Department (IMD) Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.
Under influence of the cyclonic circulation, a low pressure area is likely to form over east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea on October 21.
The system is expected to move northwestwards and intensify into a depression over the central Bay of Bengal around October 23.
Mohapatra said the weather system will trigger rains in north Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal from October 23 onwards. The rainfall intensity will increase on October 24 and 25 and coastal districts of Odisha and West Bengal are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall during this period, he added.
Under the influence of the system, squally weather conditions will prevail over north Bay of Bengal near the coastlines of Bangladesh, West Bengal and Odisha. Wind speeds reaching 45 km/hr to 55 km/hr and gusting up to 65 km/hr, and rough sea conditions are expected to prevail in the region on October 24 and 25.
Director of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Manorama Mohanty said many places in Odisha will receive light to moderate rainfall/thundershower activity on October 24 and 25.
The Special Relief Commissioner’s office on the day asked the collectors to remain alert to handle any emergency arising due to the heavy rains.