IMD forecasts cyclone in Bay of Bengal around December 3

Though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday (November 30) issued a forecast stating that a cyclonic storm is likely to form over the southwest Bay of Bengal around December 3, it did not indicate its possible impact on Odisha.

The IMD said the impact of the possible cyclone could be assessed only after the formation of a depression in the sea on Friday.

"The path of the possible cyclone and other parameters could be estimated only after formation of the depression. Therefore, we have not told anything on the impact on Odisha or any other place in the coast," IMD scientist Umashankar Dash said.

Das also made it clear that there was no warning for the Odisha coast for the next four days. There is also no warning for fishermen on the Odisha coast, he said.

Meanwhile, the IMD in a special bulletin said Wednesday's well-marked low-pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal and 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 the southeast Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours, the national weather agency said.

"Continuing to move further west-northwestwards, it would intensify gradually into a cyclonic storm over southwest Bay of Bengal around December 3," the IMD said, adding that thereafter it would move north-westwards and reach north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts around the early morning of December 4 as a cyclonic storm.

However, under the influence of the 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, the IMD said.