Cyclone Asani may affect areas between Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal: Expert

Bhubaneswar: Possible cyclone over the Bay of Bengal may affect areas between Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, said eminent meteorologist Jason Nicholls.

Any low pressure area forming over the Bay of Bengal this week/ weekend may move west-northwestward and is likely to impact areas between the two states, he said.

Easterly Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO) should favor a W to NW track for any low that develops in the Bay of Bengal late this week & weekend. Most likely impact area looks to be from #AndhraPradesh to #WestBengal next week. pic.twitter.com/8LE9tT1coC

— Jason Nicholls (@jnmet) May 3, 2022

However, the IMD:GFS model based on 00 UTC of May 4 indicated that the forecasted system may move towards West Bengal-Bangladesh coast and make landfall around May 10 (see pics below).

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) was yet to make any official forecast regarding the movement and landfall of the system.

A cyclonic circulation has formed over South Andaman Sea and neighbourhood, the IMD said in its morning bulletin today.

The system is likely to become a low pressure area over the same region around May 6 and intensify further during the subsequent 24 hours, the IMD predicted.

“A cyclonic circulation has formed over South Andaman Sea & neighbourhood and extends up to mid tropospheric levels. Under its influence, a Low Pressure Area is likely to form over the same region around 6th May. It is likely become more marked during subsequent 24 hours,” the bulletin said.

On the other hand, the Skymet Weather Services predicted that the possible cyclonic storm may intensify further and move along the Arakan coast.

The system will be named as Cyclone Asani if it intensifies into a cyclonic storm.