Bhubaneswar: Cyclonic storm is no longer heading menacingly towards Odisha coast and is likely to touch the landmass somewhere in Puri district as deep depression with an associated wind speed of 60-70 kmph on Sunday noon.
Cyclone Jawad moved northwards in the past 1 hour and will continue in the same direction for the next 12 hours. There is a weakening trend in the intensity of the cyclone and it is expected to hit the coastal regions of Puri tomorrow,” Director, Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, HR Biswas told IANS.
At a press briefing on Saturday, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena, quoting IMD, said that the storm is expected to recurve in the next 12 hours and then move in north-northeastwards along north Andhra Pradesh-south Odisha coast.
“It is showing signs of weakening and may not cause much wind hazard as it is expected to further weaken after landfall. There will be heavy to very rainfall in coastal districts, particularly in Puri, Ganjam, Khurda and Jagatsinghpur. By tomorrow late evening, the cyclone is expected to leave Odisha coast,” he added.
According to the latest model data of NCEP, ACCESS-G3, JTWC and INCOIS, the system’s wind speed has dropped to around 55kmph and it may turn into a low-pressure area near the Odisha coast.
According to private weather forecaster Skymet, the decreasing sea surface temperatures and increasing vertical wind shear will not allow the cyclone to intensify further. In fact, the cyclone will start weakening by Saturday night, it said.
After touching Puri, it will continue its travel towards Gangetic West Bengal and subsequently towards South Bangladesh. Jawad may reach over Gangetic West Bengal as a depression by the morning of December 6, it added.
Skymet has forecast a possible wind speed of 60 to 70 kmph gusting to 80-90 kmph, over Odisha and West Bengal coast until December 5 Moderate to heavy rain is also possible over Gajapati, Ganjam, Khorda, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Balasore, it added.
