The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday (May 24, 2021) morning that Cyclone Yaas would intensify into a ‘Severe Cyclonic Storm’ in the next 24 hours and issued a rainfall alert for West Bengal and Odisha.
“The Deep Depression over East-central Bay of Bengal remained practically stationary for the past 6 hours, intensified into Cyclonic Storm ‘Yaas,’ and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of Monday over East-central Bay of Bengal near latitude 16.3°N and longitude 89.7°E, about 600 km north-northwest of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 540 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 650 km e IMD said in a bulletin at 8:30 AM.
“It is very likely to travel steadily north-northwestwards, strengthen further into a Severe Cyclonic Storm over the next 24 hours, and becoming a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm during the following 24 hours,” they continued.
According to the weather service, Cyclone Yaas will continue to travel north-northwestward, strengthen further, and enter the Northwest Bay of Bengal near the coasts of north Odisha and West Bengal by May 26 early morning.
As a result, it is very likely to cross the north Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Paradip and Sagar islands as a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm around midday on May 26.
West Bengal and Sikkim: On May 25, the India Meteorological Department forecast mild to moderate rain in most areas, with heavy to very heavy rain in Medinipur, South and North 24 Parganas, Howrah, and Hooghly districts. It also forecasts extremely strong rainfall over Jhargram, Medinipur, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata, and heavy to very heavy rainfall over Nadia, Bardhaman, Bankura, Purulia, Bhirbhum, and heavy falls over Murshidabad, Malda, and Dakshin Dinajpur Districts on May 26. On May 27, isolated areas in Malda and Darjeeling, Dinajpur, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Siliguri can expect moderate to very heavy rain, Sikkim and heavy rain at a few places over Bankura, Purulia, Bardhaman, Bhirbhum and Murshidabad.
Odisha: The IMD predicted light to moderate rains in many places with heavy falls in isolated places over South Coastal Odisha on May 24, heavy to very heavy rains in the north coastal districts on May 25, heavy to very heavy rains in a few places with extremely heavy falls in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Mayurbhanj and heavy to very heavy rains in Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Jharsuguda, Jharsugu Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in isolated areas of north interior Odisha on May 27. On May 25 and 26, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected over Odisha’s south coastal districts.
North Coastal Andhra Pradesh: The IMD forecasted light to moderate rainfall in many areas, with strong falls in isolated areas on May 24, and heavy to very heavy rain in isolated areas on May 25 and May 26.
Jharkhand: The IMD predicts light to moderate rain in most areas, with strong to very heavy rain in isolated areas across Jharkhand and exceptionally heavy rain in southeast Jharkhand on May 26 and 27.
Bihar: According to the IMD, most locations will see medium to moderate rainfall on May 27, with isolated areas seeing strong to very strong rainfall.
Assam and Meghalaya: The IMD predicts light to moderate rainfall in most areas, with strong to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas across Assam and Meghalaya on May 26 and 27.
