Bhubaneswar: A weather system over the Bay of Bengal is rapidly moving towards the eastern coast and is likely to intensify into a deep depression in the next few hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. The system is expected to cross the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur during the night of September 23 and the early hours of September 24.
While there is speculation about the system developing into Cyclone ‘Arnab’, the IMD has not yet classified it as a cyclonic storm. If the system strengthens enough to become a cyclone, it will be named Arnab, a name contributed by Bangladesh to the North Indian Ocean cyclone naming list.
Depression Moving Towards Odisha-Andhra Coast
According to the latest IMD update, the depression over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal moved westwards at around 18 kmph during the previous six hours.
At 8:30 am on September 22, the system was centred near 17.9°N latitude and 86.0°E longitude, around 200 km southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha, 200 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, 210 km south of Puri and 290 km east of Visakhapatnam.
The weather department said the system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression during the next 12 hours. It is then expected to continue moving in the same direction before crossing the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur.
Heavy Rain, Strong Winds Expected
The developing system is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to parts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, with weather impacts also possible in neighbouring areas, including Telangana.
The IMD has warned of widespread rain and thunderstorms, while coastal areas could experience strong winds and rough sea conditions. Heavy rainfall could also lead to waterlogging, rising river levels and flooding in low-lying areas, particularly in locations that have already received significant rainfall.
Officials in Odisha have stepped up preparedness measures as the system approaches the coast. Shelters, personnel and emergency resources have been readied in vulnerable areas, while authorities are monitoring the situation closely.
Schools Shut In Several Odisha Districts
As a precautionary measure, schools have been closed in several Odisha districts amid the forecast of heavy rainfall.
Khurda, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur and Gajapati administrations have announced school closures, with some districts also shutting Anganwadi centres. In Malkangiri, schools and Anganwadi centres have been ordered to remain closed until September 24.
Authorities have also directed school staff and officials to remain prepared for emergency requirements, while vulnerable areas are being monitored as the weather system approaches the coast.
Will It Become Cyclone Arnab?
For now, Cyclone Arnab has not formed. The system must intensify further and meet the required wind-speed criteria before it can be classified as a cyclonic storm.
If it does strengthen into a cyclone, Arnab will be the name assigned to it. The name, meaning “ocean” in Bengali, was contributed by Bangladesh under the regional cyclone-naming system maintained by the World Meteorological Organization and the IMD.
The immediate concern, however, remains the deep depression’s expected movement towards the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh coast, heavy rainfall, strong winds and the possibility of local flooding during the next 24–48 hours.