Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Asani’ changed track! From rainfall alert to wind warnings, here’s all you need to know about it

Bhubaneswar: The Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘Asani’ over Westcentral and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 23 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centered at 1430 hours IST of today, the 10th May, over westcentral Bay of Bengal near latitude 15.0°N and longitude 82.4°E, 210 km southwest of Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), 310 km south-southwest of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), 590 km southwest of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 640 km southwest of Puri (Odisha).

It is very likely to move nearly northwestwards and reach Westcentral Bay of Bengal close to Kakinada Vishakhapatnam coasts by 11th May morning. Thereafter, it is very likely to recurve slowly north northeastwards and move along Andhra Pradesh coast between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam and then emerge into Northwest Bay of Bengal off North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts. It is likely to weaken gradually into a Cyclonic Storm by 11th May morning and into a depression by 12th May morning.

The cyclonic storm is under the continuous surveillance of Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

(i) Rainfall Forecast and Warnings:

Day 1 (valid up to 0830 hrs IST of 11.05.2022):

• Forecast: Light to moderate rain or thundershower very likely to occur at many places over the districts of coastal Odisha, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Koraput and at a few places over the rest districts of Odisha.
• Warning: Yellow Warning (To be updated) Heavy rainfall (7 -11cm) is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Gajapati, Ganjam and Puri.

Day 2 (valid from 0830 hrs IST of 11.05.2022up to 0830 hrs IST of 12.05.2022):

• Forecast: Light to moderate rain or thundershower very likely to occur at most places over the districts of coastal Odisha, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada and at a few places over the rest districts of Odisha.
• Warning: Yellow Warning (To be updated) Heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 – 20cm) at isolated places over the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri and Heavy rainfall (7-11 cm)very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Koraput, Rayagada, Khordha, Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack.

Day 3 (valid from 0830 hrs IST of 12.05.2022up to 0830 hrs IST of 13.05.2022).

• Forecast: Light to moderate rain or thundershower very likely to occur at many places over the districts of coastal Odisha and at a few places over districts of interior Odisha.
• Warning: Yellow Warning (To be updated) Heavy rainfall (7-11cm) very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Balasore.

Day 4 (valid from 0830 hrs IST of 13.05.2022up to 0830 hrs IST of 14.05.2022).

• Forecast: Light to moderate rain or thundershower very likely to occur at a few places over the districts of coastal Odisha, north interior Odisha and at isolated places over southinterior districts of Odisha.

(ii) Wind warning:

• Gale wind speed reaching 95-105 kmph gusting to 115 kmph is prevailing around the system center over Westcentral Bay of Bengal. It would gradually decrease becoming 85-95 kmph gusting to 105 kmph over Westcentral and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal from midnight of 10th May and become 75-85 Kmph gusting to 95 Kmph from morning of 11th May over the same region. Further, it would decrease to 55- 65 Kmph gusting to 75 Kmph over northwest & adjoining Westcentral Bay of Bengal from morning of 12th May.
• Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely to continue along & off Odisha coast during 10th to 12th May.

Sea condition: Sea condition is likely to be Very High over Westcentral Bay of Bengal till midnight of today, the 10th May. It would become high over westcentral & adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal on 11th May and very rough to rough over the same region on 12th May.

(iii) Fishermen Warning:

• Total suspension of fishing operations over west central Bay of Bengal and Northwest Bay of Bengal till 12th May, 2022.
• Fishermen advised not to venture into sea along and off Odisha coast, over west central Bay of Bengal and Northwest Bay of Bengal till 13th May Morning.

(iv) Port Warning:

• Keep hoisted Local Cautionary Signal No.3 (LC-3) at Gopalpur port of Odisha and Keep hoisted Distant Warning Signal No.2 (DW-2) at all other ports of Odisha.

Possible impact and advisory:

Some impact on matured agricultural crops (summer rice, Pulses (Green gram, black gram)), Vegetables and other vegetative/flowering crops (Sugarcane, Maize etc) is likely over the districts of coastal Odisha due to rainfall.

Harvesting of matured crops/vegetables may be completed before rain, arrangement for drainage of excess water may be kept, avoid irrigation & pesticides and postpone sowing of crops (Jute and others).

Activity at coastal installations along and off Odisha Coast may be regulated judiciously on 10th to 12th May, 2022.

The system is under continuous surveillance and the next message will be issued at 2030 hours IST of 10th May, 2022.