AP coast might face tropical storm in 5 days

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts might face the first tropical storm post the monsoon in another five days.

As per the private weather website Skymet, it is confirmed that a low-pressure area will form over Bay of Bengal by October 22. As a precursor to this system, a cyclonic circulation is likely to form in the next couple of hours over the east-central Bay of Bengal and north Andaman sea. The cyclonic circulation is likely to consolidate further and move northwest over central parts of Bay of Bengal. It is quite likely that low pressure will emerge over that region during the early hours of October 22.

Despite the low accuracy of weather models after a period of 4–5 days, there are enough signs that this system will further intensify. It will move northwest to central parts of Bay of Bengal and intensify into a depression on October 23. As it appears now, the weather system may be heading for the coastline of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

Though the confirmation of the tropical storm will take a little more time, it will be the maiden storm in the Bay of Bengal post the monsoon season. These storms are known to play truant. Thus, the entire coastline from Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal to Bangladesh and Myanmar faces the risk of a cyclonic strike.

A report of IMD, Amaravati, on Saturday said a cyclonic circulation lies over central Andaman sea, extending up to 5.8 km above the mean sea level. Under its influence, a low pressure area is likely to form over the east central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman sea on October 21. Thereafter, it is likely to move north-westwards and intensify further into a depression around October 23.