Cyclone Jawad may play spoilsport this Dasara

VISAKHAPATNAM: A weather system that may develop into a cyclone may play spoilsport this Dasara, one of the biggest festivals of Telugu people. If the system develops into a cyclone, it will be called ‘Jawad’, a name suggested by Saudi Arabia.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the process of a storm developing over the Bay of Bengal began on Saturday with the formation of an upper cyclonic circulation over the north Andaman Sea and neighbourhood. This apart, remnants of the storms over the neighbourhood the Bay of Bengal are likely to strengthen this new system.

"Whatever developed over the sea on Saturday will be the tip of the strong storm that will head towards the Andhra and Odisha coasts the next week, if climatic conditions are in its favour. There are already indications of a low pressure being formed by October 11. In the subsequent four to five days, the chances will be high for formation of the storm," an IMD official said.

A total of 32 cyclonic storms that were born in the Bay of Bengal from 1891 to 2021 have crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast so far. The last cyclone was Gulab, which crossed the Kalingapatnam coast in Srikakulam district on September 26.

Speaking to this newspaper, Sunitha Devi, IMD meteorologist (cyclone wing) from New Delhi, said as of now, the weather scientists expected development of a cyclone over the Bay of Bengal during the later part of the ensuing week.

“It is too early to specify the track. But the normal course likely during this part of the year is towards the Odisha and north Andhra Pradesh coasts. Things would be clearer only after October 13,” Sunitha Devi added.

Fishermen have been alerted not to venture into the sea till further instructions from the government as the sea conditions would be rough to very rough next week.