Kolkata: The low-pressure area over east-central and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal, which is set to intensify into a cyclone by the morning of Oct 26, became a well-marked low-pressure area early on Saturday and then turned into a depression later in the day. It is accompanied by an ‘associated cyclonic circulation’ which extends up to 5.8 km above sea level. It is set to develop into a cyclone by Monday morning. Once it has formed, the cyclone will be called ‘Arnab’.Under the impact of the system which could strike the Andhra Pradesh coast on Oct 28, squally winds are expected along and off the coast of Bengal from Tuesday while heavy rain has been predicted at one or two places ‘over some districts’ of south Bengal between Oct 28 and 30. Kolkata may receive light to moderate rain from Tuesday. The rain in the city is unlikely to be heavy but moderate spells are expected on Oct 28 and 29, said the Met office.“The city will remain cloudy from Tuesday, while sporadic showers are expected over the subsequent three days. Since the cyclone will hit the Andhra coast on Wednesday, clouds from the outer band of the system will start floating into south Bengal from early on Tuesday. It will lead to clouds and trigger rain in the city and surrounding districts. In Kolkata, the rain frequency and intensity are likely to peak between Wednesday and Thursday. It may continue on Friday but will lose intensity as the cyclone hits land and starts moving towards central or eastern India,” said Sourish Bandopadhyay, weather scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC).The cyclone is likely to hit the Andhra coast by Oct 28 evening or even earlier. “Squally winds and heavy rain are expected along the coasts of south Bengal with wind speed reaching 30-40 km/hour,” added Bandopadhyay.Light to moderate rain and thundershowers are expected at one or two places in East and West Midnapore, North and South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly on Tuesday. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds are likely at one or two places in South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore and Jhargram, said a special bulletin issued by the RMC on Saturday.Rain and thundershowers will continue on Oct 28, with heavy rain (70-110 mm) likely at some places in South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore and Jhargram. Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds are likely to strike several other places across south Bengal.While light to moderate rain will persist across the region and Kolkata on Oct 29, heavy rain has been predicted in some places in Midnapore, Bankura, Jhargram and Purulia. South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore are likely to be lashed by thunderstorms and lightning and gusty winds during the day.The RMC has warned in its bulletin that lightning strikes are likely in open fields between Oct 28 and 29, along with the possibility of waterlogging and some damage to standing crops.Kolkata remained dry and warm on Saturday with the maximum temperature touching 31.2°C. The dry weather is likely to persist on Sunday with the maximum temperature rising to 32°C.
