The coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh are preparing for another potential weather crisis as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that a depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm. According to official reports issued on Saturday, the weather system is currently tracking across the Bay of Bengal, with landfall anticipated along the Andhra Pradesh coastline on November 3.
This latest development follows the recent arrival of cyclonic storm Arnab, which struck parts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on October 28. That earlier storm caused significant disruption, with wind speeds reaching 150 kmph during its landfall. Authorities are now monitoring the new system closely to mitigate potential damage to infrastructure and public safety in the region.
In a technical update released at 3 pm on Saturday, the IMD detailed the trajectory of the depression. Having initially formed as a well-marked low-pressure area over the Southeast Bay of Bengal, the system concentrated into a depression at 11:30 am on October 31. At the time of the report, the system was located approximately 330 km west-southwest of Sri Vijayapuram in the Andaman Islands and 300 km west-northwest of Car Nicobar.
Meteorological experts expect the system to maintain a west-northwestward path. It is predicted to strengthen into a deep depression within the next 12 hours. Subsequently, over the following 12-hour period, the system is expected to intensify further into a cyclonic storm while hovering over the Southeast and adjoining areas of the Southwest and West-central Bay of Bengal. It is forecast to arrive near the Andhra Pradesh coast by the evening of November 2.
Addressing the potential impact, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra stated that the storm could bring sustained wind speeds of 80 kmph to 90 kmph. Occasional gusts could reach as high as 100 kmph. The current forecast suggests that the system will make landfall along the coast of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday morning.
Regional weather centres are currently tracking the system’s evolution to provide timely alerts. Manorama Mohanty, director of the Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, confirmed that officials are maintaining a constant watch on the movement of the system and will issue further updates as the situation develops. While the primary focus remains on the Andhra Pradesh coast, the weather department has also issued forecasts for light to moderate rain and thundershowers in several districts across Odisha.
This meteorological event represents a significant challenge for the region, coming so soon after the battering received from the previous cyclone. As a depression is defined as a weather system more intense than a low-pressure area but less severe than a full-scale cyclonic storm, the shift into a cyclonic storm marks a transition into a more dangerous weather phase. Residents in the affected coastal districts are advised to remain alert and follow updates from the local disaster management authorities as the system approaches.
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