The depression in the West-Central Bay of Bengal was located 300 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh this morning.
This was 555 km south-southwest of Paradip in Odisha and 900 km southwest of Khepupara in Bangladesh where the storm is ultimately headed.
LAGS IN STRENGTH
Contrary to forecasts, it has failed to rustle up strength to a level expected within a calibrated time frame, causing the India Met Department (IMD) to withdraw a cyclone watch in the sea.
The system is expected to reach the level of a deep depression over the next 24 hours (by tomorrow), the IMD said, without referring to further prospects for intensification.
In fact, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts had downgraded the cyclone outlook much earlier, though it was among the first to plot one in the works.
During the next six hours, the depression will re-curve to the north-east, away from the Andhra Pradesh coast, before intensifying into a deep depression.
RAINFALL ALERT
During the next two days, it would travel towards the Bangladesh coast for likely landfall.
The IMD has issued weather warning for the Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Bengal coasts over the next few days as the storm tracks towards Bangladesh, not too far away from these coasts.
Light to moderate rainfall is likely over North coastal Andhra Pradesh today; coastal Odisha for today and tomorrow; and for coastal West Bengal from the next three days.
Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over North coastal Andhra Pradesh today; it will be isolated heavy to very heavy very likely over Odisha today and tomorrow.
Rainfall is likely at many places and heavier at isolated places over Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura tomorrow and day after.
WIND WARNING
Squally winds with speeds reaching 40- to 50 km/hr and gusting to 60 km/hr would prevail along and off the North Andhra Pradesh coast today; off the Odisha coast today and tomorrow; and off the Bengal coast from today to Sunday.
The sea condition would be 'rough' to 'very rough' along and off these coasts on the respective days.
Fishermen are advised not to venture out. Those currently out at sea have been advised to return to the coasts.