The India Met Department (IMD) has made no change in its forecast outlook with respect to the well-marked low-pressure area persisting over West-Central and adjoining South-West Bay of Bengal.

A watch for intensification to the next level as a monsoon depression stays extended for another 24 hours, the third time this has been resorted to in almost as many days.

TIMELINE FOR LANDFALL

Normally, successive postponements of a forecast event represents erosion of the weatherman's confidence, followed by withdrawal of the forecast statement.

The only concession the IMD has made so far is withdrawal for any further intensification of the well-marked 'low' system after it reaches depression strength.

The US Joint Typhoon Warning Centre has also made a similar forecast, except that it has pitched a timeline for the system's landfall, delayed by a day beyond tomorrow.

The IMD has projected landfall over the North Andhra Pradesh-South Odisha coast by tomorrow. The US agency does not contest the location of the landfall, but only the timeline for the same.

The US agency located the system midnight last night 640 km south-east of Visakhapatnam and awaiting warmer waters along the coast, both of which should aid the cause of its intensification.

SQUALLS LIKELY OFF COASTS

Meanwhile, the IMD has warned of heavy rain at isolated places over North Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Coastal Odisha today.

Thunderstorms accompanied by lightning are likely over isolated places of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Squally winds with speeds reaching 40 km/hr to 50 km/hr and gusting to 60 km/hr are likely along the North Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts.

These measure up almost to depression strength winds, and a warning has been issued to fishermen not to venture out from these coasts today.

Almost similar warnings are valid for tomorrow as well with the heavy rain belt tilting slightly farther out to the north and south over over Odisha and Telangana.

The warning for fishermen along the Odisha and North Andhra Pradesh coasts has been extended.

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