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Deep Depression Crosses Andhra Coast Near Kalingapatnam, Heavy Rain Likely

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast late Wednesday night. The India Meteorological Department says the system will keep moving inland. Intensity should hold through Thursday evening. Weakening is then expected by Friday night.

The weather office issued an update around 7:30 am on Thursday. The system lay over the Andhra coast and had drifted slowly west-northwest at about 3 km per hour in the previous six hours. It crossed close to southwest of Kalingapatnam between 11 pm on 23 September and 1 am on 24 September. Maximum sustained winds stood at 55–65 km per hour and gusted to 75 km per hour.

By 5:30 am Thursday the centre was about 50 km west of Kalingapatnam, 80 km north-northeast of Visakhapatnam and 170 km southwest of Gopalpur in Odisha. Later bulletins placed it over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha. The IMD expects a northwestward track at first. Intensity as a deep depression should last about 12 hours. The system is then likely to turn north-northwest and weaken gradually over the next day.

On the IMD scale a deep depression sits above a depression and below a cyclone. Three-minute sustained winds fall between 52 and 61 km per hour. Officials have already said the system will not become a cyclone. Intense local showers and gusty winds up to 75 km per hour are still expected through Thursday.

Skymet’s Mahesh Palawat said moisture from the system could reach northwest India by the weekend. Easterly winds may bring some rain to Delhi-NCR on Saturday and Sunday even after monsoon withdrawal. Residents in coastal Andhra and south Odisha should watch local warnings for waterlogging and strong wind.

Deep Depression to Cross Near Kalingapatnam Tonight IMD Says

A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is moving toward the Odisha–Andhra Pradesh coast. The India Meteorological Department says it is likely to cross near Kalingapatnam by the night of September 23. Heavy to very heavy rain is expected in several districts of both states.

The system intensified over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay. IMD said it had been moving west at about 7 km/h. A later bulletin placed the centre near 18.0°N and 84.6°E at 8:30am IST on September 23, about 60 km southeast of Kalingapatnam.

IMD expects a west-northwest path. Landfall is forecast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur, close to Kalingapatnam, while the system is still a deep depression.

Odisha is on alert. A red warning for September 23 covers Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, and Koraput. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely at a few places. Extremely heavy rain is possible at one or two spots. Thunderstorms, lightning, and gusts of 50–60 km/h may occur in isolated areas.

An orange alert covers Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Malkangiri, Puri, and Kandhamal. Very heavy rain is likely at one or two places. Isolated thunderstorms and similar gusts are also forecast.

Andhra Pradesh has matching warnings. A red alert covers Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, and Vizianagaram. An orange alert covers Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Alluri Sitharama Raju.

Isolated parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam may see heavy to very heavy rain on Wednesday. Extremely heavy showers are also possible. Thunderstorms with lightning are likely in parts of Rayalaseema. Coastal winds may reach 50–60 km/h. Isolated Rayalaseema winds may reach 40–50 km/h.

IMD says isolated heavy rain may continue over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam on Thursday and Friday. Fishermen have been advised to stay off the sea while the system is near the coast.

Hurricane Polo Reaches Category 4 Off Mexico’s Pacific Coast

Hurricane Polo has grown into a Category 4 storm in the eastern Pacific. Satellite images show a tight spiral and a forming eye. The system is moving off southwestern Mexico.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Polo’s maximum sustained winds reached 215 kmph late Monday, September 21. On the Saffir-Simpson scale, Category 4 covers 130 to 156 mph. Category 5 starts at 157 mph.

The storm now has a compact core. Deep thunderstorms wrap around the centre. An eye is becoming visible from space.

Warm ocean water, plentiful moisture, and weak wind shear are helping Polo strengthen quickly. Forecasters said it could intensify further. It may reach Category 5 on Tuesday or Wednesday. Peak winds near 160 mph are possible.

Even so, Polo is expected to stay at sea. It was drifting slowly east-southeast. A sharp turn toward the northwest and west-northwest is then likely. That path could keep the strongest core roughly parallel to Mexico’s coast.

Offshore track does not remove all risk. Officials issued a Tropical Storm Watch for parts of the southwestern coast. Heavy rain is likely in Guerrero and Michoacán. Intense downpours can cause dangerous floods and mudslides, especially on steep slopes.

Polo’s jump in strength stood out. On Monday morning, winds were only about 65 mph. Hours later, aircraft and satellite data showed a much better organised and stronger storm.

The centre remained hundreds of kilometres south of Manzanillo and Zihuatanejo. The fiercest winds therefore stayed over water. Forecasters continue to watch small shifts in track. Those shifts could change rainfall and wind along the Pacific coast.

Residents in watch areas should follow local alerts and avoid flood-prone ravines until the storm moves away.

World’s Wettest Hills Now Face Rising Drought Risk

Meghalaya’s famous rain belts are changing. Mawsynram and Cherrapunji still receive heavy monsoon downpours. Yet a new study warns that drought risk is growing there.

Climate change is reshaping the rain. Storms now pack more water into fewer days. Light rain is fading. Temperatures are climbing. As a result, the land dries out faster between bursts.

Researchers published the findings in Theoretical and Applied Climatology. They studied climate and river-flow data for Meghalaya and nearby areas from 1981 through 2100. The team found rainfall clustering into intense spells. Meanwhile, the number of wet days keeps falling. This pattern raises the chance of moderate, severe, and extreme drought. The threat looks strongest under the high-emissions SSP585 path.

Ashesh Rudra Paul and Pankaj Kumar Roy led the work. They tracked the Simple Daily Intensity Index. That measure shows average rain on a wet day. It rose by as much as 0.08 mm per day each year in some spots. At the same time, rainy days dropped by about 0.40 days per year on average.

More rain does not always ease drought. The authors noted this surprise. Concentrated storms fail to refill the ground. Meghalaya’s steep slopes and thin soils make the problem worse. Heavy rain races off the surface. Little water soaks in. Groundwater therefore stays low even after a strong monsoon.

Rising heat adds another strain. Minimum temperatures increased by up to 0.08 degrees Celsius per year. Warmer air pulls more moisture from soil and plants. Evapotranspiration speeds up. Dry spells then empty the land more quickly.

The team used the Standardised Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index on a three-month scale. Drought events look set to grow more frequent and more intense. The jump appears from the near future into the far future. The largest rise occurs under SSP585, a path of fast growth and heavy fossil-fuel use.

River models tell a similar story. The researchers examined the Sari-Gowain and Surma-Meghna basins. Both draw significant water from Meghalaya. In the far future under SSP585, mean annual flow in the Sari-Gowain basin could fall by as much as 9.8 percent. The Surma-Meghna basin could drop by up to 11.6 percent. Flows would still peak in June and July. After that, levels would sink. Hydrological drought could then strike later in the year.

The study left out human pressures. Deforestation, expanding towns, land-use shifts, and extra groundwater pumping can also cut water supplies. The authors therefore urge broader planning. Managers should look beyond total rainfall. They need to weigh storm intensity, rain timing, higher temperatures, and basin-wide flows. Scientists, officials, and local communities must work together, the paper said.

People on the ground already notice the shift. Residents in Sohra and Mawsynram report that streams and waterfalls are shrinking earlier this year. Some drying appeared by mid-September. P. Hujon, who runs a guest house in Mawkisyiem, said many falls around Sohra are running low sooner than before.

Meghalaya may keep its reputation for extreme rain. Even so, hotter days, fewer wet days, and weaker recharge could leave the hills thirstier between storms.

IMD Forecasts Widespread Karnataka Rain as Bay System Strengthens

A low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal is drawing moisture inland. The India Meteorological Department expects widespread showers across Karnataka as that system strengthens.

IMD has issued yellow alerts until September 24. The watch covers several coastal, north interior, and south interior districts. Light to moderate rain, thunderstorms, and lightning are likely in many of those areas. Isolated heavy rain is also possible.

Bengaluru may see thundershowers through the coming days. Gusty winds could reach 30 to 40 km/hr. The rain should ease recent heat. It may also cause waterlogging and slower traffic.

The statewide spell is expected to last through September 24. Residents in alert districts should watch local updates and avoid waterlogged roads during heavy bursts.

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake shook parts of Northeast India on Saturday. The National Centre for Seismology reported the event. Tremors reached Guwahati and other places in the region.

The epicentre lay about 3 km from Gyelpozhing in Bhutan. The focus was shallow, at a depth of 5 km. The quake struck at 4.01 pm.

NCS said no damage had been reported so far. Officials continue to watch the area. The eastern Himalaya is a known seismic belt, so moderate shocks are not unusual there.

Heavy Rain Floods Ahmedabad Again as Red Alerts Cover Eight Gujarat Districts

Heavy rain hit parts of Gujarat for the second time this week. The spell began on Thursday night. Streets in Ahmedabad filled with water. Roads closed. Trees came down.

The weather office put red alerts on Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Mehsana, Aravalli, Sabarkantha, Mahisagar, Anand, and Kheda. It also forecast moderate rain with thunderstorms through Friday afternoon.

Peak-hour traffic took the brunt in the city. Officials shut at least four underpasses after they filled with water. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation later reopened the Shahibaug underpass. Mithakhali, Usmanpura, and Akhbarnagar underpasses, which link large parts of West Ahmedabad, stayed closed.

Rain was widespread. Of 34 districts, 32 recorded an average of 8.69 mm in the previous 24 hours. Daily life slowed in several places. Some planned events were cancelled or delayed.

From Thursday 6 a.m. to Friday 6 a.m., 150 talukas received rain. Totals ranged from 0.04 mm to 131 mm. Maliya in Morbi district led with 131 mm. Danta in Banaskantha recorded 91 mm. Shankheshwar in Patan received 85 mm. Dwarka in Devbhumi Dwarka got 71 mm. Bechraji in Mehsana recorded 65 mm.

The season total for Gujarat now stands at 779.41 mm. That is 85.79 percent of the 30-year average. Most of the state is still short of a normal year. South Gujarat is the exception, at 112.6 percent of average. Kutch is at 57.1 percent. North Gujarat and Saurashtra are both at 66.6 percent. East-central Gujarat is at 85.7 percent. Porbandar, Jamnagar, and Devbhumi Dwarka remain among the driest districts.

Friday morning brought another burst. Between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., Meghraj taluka in Aravalli recorded 73 mm. Ahmedabad city received 70 mm. Talod in Sabarkantha and Modasa in Aravalli each logged 57 mm. Kheralu in Mehsana recorded 51 mm.

Public programmes also shifted. Viramgam MLA Hardik Patel postponed two events in his constituency: a stroke-awareness camp and a groundbreaking ceremony.

Reservoirs had already gained about 3 percent after 48 hours of rain earlier in the week. They still sat about 13 percent below last year’s levels. Officials asked residents to avoid flooded underpasses and watch for further thunderstorms through Friday.

IIT Madras Builds Framework to Measure Climate Risk on India’s Coast

Researchers at IIT Madras have built an integrated framework to study climate change along India’s coast. The tool also points to adaptation steps for infrastructure, ecosystems, and exposed communities. The Institute’s Centre of Excellence on Climate Change Impacts on Coastal Infrastructure and Adaptation Strategies led the work. The Department of Science and Technology supports the Centre.

India’s coastline holds major ports, fishing harbours, power plants, industries, and cities. These places now face stronger climate risks. Cyclones, storm surges, coastal floods, erosion, sea-level rise, and extreme rain all add pressure. Therefore, planners need linked models rather than single-hazard studies.

The Centre combines climate science, coastal engineering, water resources, and environmental engineering. Its team has built climate, cyclone, storm-surge, wave, hydrodynamic, and morphodynamic models for Indian conditions. A new wind-merging method aims to improve storm-surge forecasts. Flood inundation maps for Chennai are meant to aid disaster planning.

Coastal Vulnerability Index maps now cover Chennai, Ennore, and Karaikal. Those maps include sea-level rise and storm surge. Researchers have also proposed methods to watch climate-driven wear in port structures. Other work examines reservoir operations in flood-prone cities and ways to limit saltwater intrusion.

Water and waste systems form a second track. The team has designed climate-resilient wastewater treatment, including a patented in-stream method. It has also introduced the BASIEC framework. That tool supports community adaptation to sea-level rise and related hazards.

Prof. S. A. Sannasiraj, principal investigator and Ocean Engineering faculty member, said climate change is raising risk for coastal assets and people. He said the Centre uses a systems approach that joins climate models, engineering options, and community measures. Prof. B. S. Murty, centre coordinator and Civil Engineering faculty member, said adaptation must treat several hazards at once. He said simulations, field data, and stakeholder talks should guide coastal policy.

The research follows the chain from changing cyclones and floods to damaged infrastructure and planned responses. It mixes field measurements, lab tests, and numerical models. It also favours open-source tools and local adaptation options.

The team presented findings at the IAHR World Congress 2025 in Singapore. Springer Nature has published an edited volume on climate impacts and adaptation for coastal infrastructure, water, and waste systems. Fifteen co-principal investigators from four IIT Madras departments took part. Outputs so far include 73 journal papers, six book chapters, one edited book, 60 conference papers, and one patent.

The researchers say the work can better protect ports, harbours, power plants, and transport links. It can also improve city flood readiness, guard coastal groundwater, and support nature-based protection. Officials will still need to turn the maps and models into local action.

Southwest Monsoon Set to Withdraw from West Rajasthan Around September 19

The southwest monsoon is expected to start withdrawing from western Rajasthan around September 19. That is a few days later than the usual date of September 17. National rainfall remains about 15% below normal. More than 218 districts are facing dry conditions and stress on farm output.

Rainfall has been uneven across India. El Niño-linked patterns have left major farm regions short of moisture. South India is 28% below normal. The east and northeast are 25% below normal. The northwest is 10% short. Central India is 6% short.

Several farm states show larger gaps. Meghalaya is 59% below normal. Andhra Pradesh is 43% short. Punjab is 40% short. Bihar is 35% short. Karnataka is 29% short. With withdrawal beginning, those seasonal totals are unlikely to recover in full.

District-level stress is also high. Official contingency planning has flagged hundreds of districts with weak irrigation and large rainfall shortfalls. Among arid districts, 111 have irrigation coverage below 25% and are marked highly vulnerable. A recent weekly review listed 218 districts with acute drought signs. Those areas include parts of Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab.

Kharif crops face soil-moisture stress. Paddy, maize, cotton, and pulses are among the crops at risk.

Some rain is still likely before the monsoon leaves. Isolated showers are expected in places. Jammu and Kashmir may see rain. Scattered showers are possible in Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi. Isolated heavy rain may fall in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala. Those late showers are not expected to close the seasonal deficit.

After withdrawal, heat and low groundwater may increase the need for administrative relief. Officials are watching reservoir levels and crop acreage as the season ends.