Bhubaneswar: Of late, some national and international weather models have predicted the formation of a low-pressure system over the central Bay of Bengal on October 21, intensifying into a depression by October 22 and a cyclonic storm by October 23.
The system is expected to move northwestward and head towards Odisha’s coast. Various models have made differing predictions about its intensity.
As per the prediction made by the Global Forecast System model, the storm may become a severe cyclonic storm over the sea but weaken before landfall in Odisha, with no significant wind impact. However, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected along the coast.
Renowned weather expert Sharat Sahu stated that the current low-pressure system is causing rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and southern Andhra Pradesh. Between October 16 and 18, some areas of Odisha may experience light to moderate rainfall. However, he cautioned that predicting the formation of a cyclone after October 20 is premature.
On the other hand, the India Meteorological Department informed that a depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal has moved west-northwestwards at 12 kmph in the past six hours. As of now, it is located about 360 km east-southeast of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, about 390 km east of Puducherry and about 450 km southeast of Nellore, Andhra Pradesh.
Going by the IMD prediction, the depression will continue to move west-northwestwards and cross the north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Nellore, near Chennai, during the early morning hours of October 17, 2024.
