True to predictions, a low-pressure area has formed over north-west and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal off the south Odisha-North Andhra Pradesh coasts. India Meteorological Department (IMD) said this (Tuesday) morning that it may move in a typical west-north-west direction.
Latest satellite pictures showed that the system may have already moved partially inland around Cuttack and neighbourhood. The movement predicted by the IMD should take it initially towards east India before it shifts tracking to a mostly westerly direction towards north-west India.
Welcome rains for Central India
Forecast valid for today (Tuesday) said heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Odisha and heavy over Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Konkan, Goa, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and North Interior Karnataka.
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Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds (speeds of 30-40 km/hr) may prevail over Telangana and with lightning over Bihar, East Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, Madhya Maharashtra, Marathawada, Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam.
Strong winds (45-55 km/hr) gusting to 65 km/hr are predicted over south-west and west-central Arabian Sea and squally weather (wind speeds of 40-50 km/hr gusting to 60 kmph) off the Andhra Pradesh coast and over north Andaman sea. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas.
Heavy rain for West Bengal, Bihar, Vidarbha
The western end of the monsoon trough continues to run along the foothills of the Himalayas while the eastern end passes through Hardoi, Gaya, Jamshedpur and the centre of the low-pressure area, which has brought the eastern end of the trough dipping into east-central Bay of Bengal.
Outlook for the four days said fairly widespread to widespread rainfall in the wake of a reviving monsoon is likely over the plains of West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha.
Isolated heavy rain forecast
Isolated heavy falls may break out over the plains of West Bengal, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Vidarbha today (Tuesday); Telangana on Wednesday and Thursday; plains of West Bengal and Sikkim until Friday; and over Madhya Pradesh until Thursday.
Also read: Low-pressure area may show up over North-West Bay ‘any time’
Isolated heavy to very heavy falls are likely over Odisha and Telangana today and Vidarbha, tomorrow, the IMD said. Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls may continue over North-East India and the plains of West Bengal and Sikkim during next four days.
North-West, Gujarat to stay dry
Fairly widespread to widespread rainfall is likely over Maharashtra (except Vidarbha) during next two days and reduce thereafter. Isolated heavy falls may lash these areas today and isolated heavy to very heavy falls are on Thursday. North-west India and Gujarat may stay dry for next three days.
An extended outlook for August 22-24 said that fairly widespread to widespread rainfall with isolated heavy falls likely is over parts of central and adjoining north and east India and north-east India. Fairly Widespread rainfall is likely over remaining parts of the country except west Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Kutch and Ladakh where isolated rainfall is forecast.