IMD predicts low pressure system over Bay of Bengal to intensify into Cyclone Asani tomorrow

Speaking to The Indian Express, Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, IMD’s Director General, had said: “Cyclones in March in the North Indian Ocean may be few but are not rare… In the month of March, we do not get many intense systems. The maximum intensity it may go up to is that of a cyclone with wind speeds ranging between 70-80 km/ hr.”

Heavy to very heavy rainfall (64.5mm to 204.4mm in 24 hours) is forecast over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands till Tuesday. And rough sea conditions, due to squally winds with speeds ranging between 55 and 65 km/hr reaching 75 km/hr, are likely to be recorded close to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, southeast Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Fishermen have been warned from venturing into the deep sea till Tuesday.

There have been only eight cyclonic disturbances in March in the North Indian Ocean region between 1891 and 2021. According to IMD’s cyclone atlas maintained for this period, a majority were cyclonic disturbances –1907, 1924, 1925, 1928, 1938, 1994, 2000 and 2018 — which remained as depressions either formed in the Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea.

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