New Delhi/Kolkata: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday forecast the formation of a cyclonic storm over the central parts of the south and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal on November 16, which is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal on November 17.
The weather system, which originated as a well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal, intensified into a depression at 5.30 am on November 15. It was centred over the southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, near latitude 9.0°N and longitude 86.9°E.
The depression was located approximately 700 km west-southwest of Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair), 860 km east-southeast of Chennai, 1,040 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam and 1,160 km south-southeast of Gopalpur. The IMD said it was likely to continue moving north-northwestwards as it intensified.
The developing system is expected to bring heavy rainfall to parts of West Bengal between November 19 and 21, the IMD said. Coastal districts of South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur are likely to receive heavy rain from November 19 to 21, while Howrah, Paschim Medinipur and Jhargram may experience heavy downpours on November 20 and 21.
Thunderstorms accompanied by winds of up to 40 kmph are also likely in Kolkata and most districts of Gangetic West Bengal. Day and night temperatures in South Bengal are expected to rise by two to three degrees Celsius from November 18.
The weather department said the system is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the east-central Bay of Bengal on November 17.
The forecast comes as parts of southern and eastern India continue to deal with the aftermath of Cyclones Murasu and Arnab.
(With agency inputs from ANI, PTI)