Bhubaneswar: Odisha is likely to experience thunderstorm activity for three days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Sunday.
The weather agency has warned of thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph at one or two places in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Nabarangpur on October 19.
Similar weather conditions may prevail in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati , Malkangiri, Rayagada and Koraput on October 20.
Thunderstorm/lightning and gusty surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph may continue at one or two places in the districts of Rayagada, Ganjam and Gajapati on October 21.
Though there is no warning thereafter, light to moderate rain or thunderstorm may occur at one or two places over the districts of Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Nabarangpur Koraput and Malkangiri during the subsequent 4 days.
Meanwhile, a low-pressure area is likely to form over southeast Bay of Bengal around October 21 under the influence of a cyclonic circulation, which currently persists over south Andaman Sea & adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal. It is likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a depression over central parts of south Bay of Bengal and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal during the subsequent 48 hours.
The system, however, is unlikely to have any direct impact on Odisha, according to IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra. He, however, has warned fishermen against venturing into South and Central Bay of Bengal during this period. “Those in the sea should return to the shore at the earliest,” he added.
The IMD is expected to issue further updates in the coming days as the system evolves over the Bay of Bengal.
The Depression is likely to move across Tamil Nadu-south Andhra Pradesh coasts. “The possible low-pressure system, moving in the west-north-west direction, may come close to the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu coast by October 23/24. It may cross the coast close to Kakinada in central Andhra Pradesh, but it is too early to make any prediction on its path and strength. Under its influence, rain may occur in Odisha but the possibility of direct impact is low,” said meteorologist Abhijeet Sahoo.
According to weather models, including NCEP, ECMWF, ECAI, IMD GFS, GEFS, and BFS, the low-pressure may form between October 20 and 21 and strengthen into a depression between October 22 and 23.
The models suggest that the system will move west-northwestwards towards the Andhra Pradesh-North Tamil Nadu coast.
Some models, particularly the GFS group, have indicated at further intensification of the system.. However, the IMD’s Multi-Model Ensemble (MME) shows that the system may continue as a depression and make landfall around October 24 along the South Andhra Pradesh-North Tamil Nadu coasts. Post-landfall, it is expected to move northwest across South Peninsular India, potentially reaching the east-central Arabian Sea.
