Odisha has alerted district administrations after the India Meteorological Department forecast that a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal could intensify into Cyclone Arnab and approach the north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coast around October 28. The system is expected to develop into a cyclonic storm by October 26, with strong winds and heavy rain possible across parts of the eastern coast.
IMD director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said wind speeds could reach 70–80 kmph, with gusts of up to 90 kmph, from the morning of October 26. He said the sea was already rough over the east-central and southeast Bay of Bengal and was likely to become very rough in the coming days. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea.
The system was identified as a low-pressure area over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on Friday morning. According to the IMD forecast cited by the Times of India, it is likely to intensify into a depression on October 24, deepen further on October 25 and become a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 26.
The system is then expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify further while approaching the north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coasts over the following two days. The IMD has also forecast heavy rainfall over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
The exact landfall location and path have not yet been confirmed. Manorama Mohanty, director of the IMD’s Bhubaneswar office, said greater clarity on the system’s track may be available by Saturday. She said the storm would be named Arnab if it develops according to the forecast.
Odisha revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said the state government was closely monitoring the evolving weather system and had alerted district administrations to remain prepared for heavy rain and strong winds. He said the government would take measures to minimise damage and ensure the swift restoration of essential services.
Pujari is scheduled to chair a high-level preparedness meeting involving the chief secretary, the special relief commissioner and collectors from 16 districts. The meeting is expected to review the state’s response as the IMD gathers more information about the storm’s likely path and intensity.
For coastal communities, the immediate operational concerns include marine safety, rainfall-related disruption and the protection and restoration of essential services. However, the available forecast does not yet establish the precise districts that could experience landfall impacts. The state government has appealed to residents not to panic while precautionary measures are put in place.
The next key milestones are the system’s expected intensification into a depression on October 24 and the IMD’s subsequent assessment of its track, strength and likely landfall zone. District preparedness will continue to be guided by those updates and by the decisions taken at the state-level meeting.
