Cyclone Akvan forecast by 16 November: IMD puts Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts on watch
Squalls of up to 80 km/h are forecast from 17 November, and fishermen have been told to return to the coast by 15 November, The Federal reported.
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Cyclone Akvan is expected to form over the central Bay of Bengal by the evening of 16 November, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast, with the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts on watch for rain and strong winds. A low-pressure area over the southeast Bay of Bengal became well-marked at 5.30 am on Saturday, The Federal reported.
Cyclone Akvan: what the IMD cyclone alert says
The system is likely to develop into a cyclonic storm by the evening of 16 November, when it would carry the name Akvan, according to The Federal. The Week said it is expected to “move north-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm, Akvan, over the central Bay of Bengal”. It may grow into a severe cyclonic storm by 18 November. Iran submitted the name under the regional naming system.
Wind speeds could reach 60 km/h, with squalls of up to 80 km/h from 17 November for two days, The Federal said. The IMD has advised fishermen in the affected areas to return to the coast by 15 November and not to venture into the sea during the period.
Where the Bay of Bengal system could make landfall
The track is not settled. Agricultural meteorologist Surendranath Pashupalak said the system could approach the Andhra Pradesh coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur around 17 and 18 November, The Week reported. VR Durai, director of the Area Cyclone Warning Centre at the Regional Meteorological Centre, told The New Indian Express that current weather models indicated the cyclone could move towards north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha, The Federal said.
In Odisha, Odisha TV reported that a yellow warning has been issued for rain. The state government reviewed its cyclone preparedness at a high-level meeting on Friday, chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.
Key numbers
- 16 November: evening by which the system is forecast to turn into a cyclonic storm, per The Federal.
- 60 km/h: expected wind speed, with squalls up to 80 km/h from 17 November, per The Federal.
- 18 November: date by which it may become a severe cyclonic storm, per The Week.
- 19 November: Ganjam, Gajapati, Puri and Rayagada may receive heavy rainfall, per The Week.
Background: the third cyclone in a month
Akvan would be the third cyclone recently, after Arnab and Murasu, The Federal said. The Week also pointed to rough weather over the Andaman Sea and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Both outlets noted that the exact path will depend on how the system develops once it forms.
What happens next
The next marker for Cyclone Akvan is the evening of 16 November, when the system is forecast to be named. Fishermen have until 15 November to return to the coast, and the IMD’s later bulletins will show whether the track bends towards Andhra Pradesh, Odisha or away from both.
Fishermen, port authorities and coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have about two days before the system is forecast to turn into a cyclone. The track is not settled and reports differ on how close the storm may come to each state, so warnings could change once it forms on 16 November.