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Bay of Bengal System Intensifies, Odisha Braces for Heavy Rain & Strong Winds
Bhubaneswar, Odisha : The Bay of Bengal is turning increasingly turbulent, and Odisha is now on high alert as a weather system moves closer to the coast. A depression over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal is strengthening and is expected to intensify into a deep depression, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting that it will continue moving west-northwestwards toward the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast.
As of Tuesday morning, the system was centred around 200 km southeast of Gopalpur, 210 km south of Puri and 290 km east of Visakhapatnam, highlighting how close it has already moved toward the eastern coastline. The IMD has said the system is very likely to cross between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur during the night of September 23 and early hours of September 24, as a deep depression.
And now comes the question on everyone’s mind will this become Cyclone ‘Arnab’? According to the regional naming roster, Arnab is the next name assigned to a North Indian Ocean cyclonic storm, with the name contributed by Bangladesh; however, the current system should not automatically be called Arnab unless it intensifies into a named cyclonic storm.
The approaching system has already triggered precautionary measures across Odisha, with schools and Anganwadi centres shut in several districts as authorities prepare for heavy to very heavy rainfall. Khurda, Ganjam and Gajapati have announced closures from September 22 to 24, while Jagatsinghpur has also ordered closures amid the weather warning.
The IMD has warned that some locations could receive up to 20 cm of rain, while winds could reach around 55–65 kmph, raising concerns over waterlogging, rising river levels and flooding in vulnerable low-lying areas, particularly places that have already experienced prolonged rainfall.
The weather system is therefore being closely watched as Odisha and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh prepare for another spell of intense rain and gusty winds. For now, the focus remains on the deep depression and its expected landfall, while the possibility of a named cyclone depends entirely on whether the system strengthens enough to meet the required criteria.
