Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that a cyclonic storm is likely to form over the southwest Bay of Bengal around December 3.
“Yesterday’s well-marked low-pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal & adjoining south Andaman Sea moved west-northwestwards and lay over southeast Bay of Bengal. It is likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression over southeast Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours,” the IMD said in a special bulletin.
The system will continue to move further west-northwestwards, it would intensify gradually into a cyclonic storm over Southwest Bay of Bengal around December 3, it said.
Thereafter, it would move northwestwards and reach the North Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh coasts around the early morning of December 4, as a cyclonic storm.
As per IMD’s forecast, there will be no direct impact of the cyclone in Odisha coast. However, under the influence of the above anticipated system, squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely over Southwest Bay of Bengal from December 1 morning and 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph from December 2 morning.
It would increase to gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from 3rd December morning for subsequent 24 hours.
Rough to very rough sea condition is likely from December 1 morning becoming very rough to high from December 3 morning for subsequent 24 hours over southwest Bay of Bengal.
If the system intensifies into a cyclone, it will be called Michaung, a name suggested by Myanmar. It will be the sixth such event forming in the Indian Ocean this year, compared to the customary four cyclones that occur in most years, and the fourth in the Bay of Bengal.
Fishermen are advised not to venture into deep sea areas of southwest Bay of Bengal from 000 December 1 and West Central Bay of Bengal from December 2 till further notice. Whoever is out at sea is advised to return to the coast by December 1.
