BHUBANESWAR: Suspense over the low pressure hitting Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast continued as many weather models including India Meteorological Department’s multi-model ensemble and National Centers for Environmental Prediction’s (NCEP) Global Forecast System have indicated the storm’s north-northeastwards re-curvature from December 4 morning.
This could mean once the system approaches the coast of AP and Odisha, it might re-curve in a north-east direction. “Whether the storm will re-curve after making landfall near north AP and south Odisha coast or skirt the east coast would be ascertained once the system concentrates into a depression,” said Scientist of Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre Umasankar Das.
However, there is unanimity in the fact that rainfall activity will continue in the State till Sunday. The State is expected to receive heavy rainfall this week under influence of the system which is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm around Saturday morning.
In a bulletin, the IMD said the low pressure is likely to move west-northwestwards, concentrate into a depression over south-east and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal by Thursday and intensify into a cyclonic storm in subsequent 24 hours.
Under its influence, heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts on Friday. The regional met office has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy rainfall (over 200 mm) in the four districts on Saturday.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur in Kendrapara, Cuttack, Khurda, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Rayagada and Koraput districts and heavy rainfall is expected at isolated places in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Malkangiri districts during the same period.
Interestingly, no cyclone has crossed Odisha-West Bengal coasts in December between 1891 and 2020. The last storm was severe cyclone Phethai which crossed Andhra Pradesh coast near south of Yanam.
The regional Met office said squally winds reaching a speed of 45 km to 55 km per hour and gusting up to 65 km is likely to commence along and off north AP-Odisha coasts from December 3 and increase gradually up to 70-80 km and gusting up to 90 km from December 4 morning for subsequent 12 hours. Fishermen have been advised not to venture along and off coasts between December 3 and 5.