IMD Warns of Cyclonic Storm Forming Over Bay of Bengal by October 26

IMD Warns of Cyclonic Storm Forming Over Bay of Bengal by October 26

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal is likely to develop into a cyclonic storm by the morning of October 26. The system is expected to intensify step by step over the next few days and move toward the Andhra Pradesh coast.

System to Strengthen Gradually

According to the IMD’s latest bulletin, the low-pressure area will persist over the same region and intensify into a depression on Saturday. Thereafter, it is very likely to move and strengthen further into a deep depression on October 25. By the morning of October 26, the system is expected to become a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal. It will continue to intensify and reach the west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh coast around the morning of October 28.

Pre-Cyclone Watch Issued

In response, the IMD has issued a pre-cyclone watch for the Andhra Pradesh and adjoining South Odisha coasts. The weather department has also forecast extremely heavy to heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha between October 27 and 29.

Next Cyclone to Be Named Arnab

If the system develops into a full cyclonic storm, it will be named Arnab. The name, which means “ocean” in Bengali, was contributed by Bangladesh to the regional tropical cyclone naming list maintained by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the IMD.

Previous System Failed to Intensify

A weather system last month also triggered a cyclone watch but did not intensify into a cyclonic storm. It crossed the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coast as a deep depression and brought heavy rain. That system had strengthened into a deep depression over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal on September 23.

How IMD Classifies Systems

The IMD classifies low-pressure systems based on their intensity. Over land, it uses the number of closed isobars. A low-pressure area has one closed isobar, a depression has two, and a deep depression has three. A system with four or more closed isobars is classified as a cyclonic storm.

Over the sea, classification depends on maximum sustained wind speed. Winds of 17–27 knots (31–50 kmph) indicate a depression, while 28–33 knots (52–61 kmph) mark a deep depression. Once winds reach 34 knots (63 kmph) or more, the system is classified as a cyclonic storm. Therefore, a low-pressure area does not automatically become a cyclone; it must intensify and cross the prescribed thresholds.