WB, Odisha on alert: ‘Dana’ to make landfall as severe cyclone between Puri and Sagar Island

The low-pressure area over east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea moved west-northwestward and lay as a well-marked low-pressure area over east-central Bay of Bengal at 11:30am on October 21.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression by Tuesday morning and into a cyclonic storm by Wednesday over east-central Bay of Bengal. Thereafter, it is very likely to move northwestwards and reach northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha-West Bengal coasts by Thursday morning.

Continuing to move northwestwards, it is very likely to “cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island during the night of October 24 and early morning on Friday as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph”, the IMD said.

The sea surface temperature is 29-32 degrees Celsius over the entire Bay of Bengal, which is above normal. The tropical cyclone heat potential is >100 kj/cm2 over northeast Bay of Bengal, which is also high and favourable for cyclone development, officials said. Vertical wind shear is low over the north and central Bay of Bengal which also favours cyclogenesis.

“Odisha and adjoining West Bengal coasts have been put on pre-cyclone watch. The maximum impact is likely to be on Odisha and West Bengal coasts. In Odisha, heavy rains are likely to begin on October 23 evening. On October 24 and 25, there will be heavy to very heavy (7-20 cm) and extremely heavy (over 20 cm) rainfall over Odisha and coastal West Bengal. Some places can record over 30 cm rainfall also. On the 24th, the maximum wind speed can go up to 100-120 kmph as ‘severe cyclone’. I am not expecting its intensification to a very severe cyclone yet,” IMD director general M Mohapatra said on Sunday.

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