New low over Andaman Sea may become a depression around 31 October and head for the Andhra Pradesh coast; IMD warns of very heavy rain on 2-3 November

A fresh low pressure area has formed over the south Andaman Sea, days after Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday, 29 October, that the system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and concentrate into a depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Andaman Sea around 31 October.

After that, IMD said, it is likely to intensify further and keep moving west-northwestwards towards the Andhra Pradesh coast over the following two days. The low was still over the same region at 5:30 pm on 29 October, according to IMD’s night bulletin.

Rain forecast for the Telugu states

For Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, IMD forecasts heavy rain at isolated places on 1 November and 4 November, and very heavy rain at isolated places on 2 and 3 November, when rain is expected at most places. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, are likely on 2 November.

Telangana may see thundersqualls with winds of 50-60 kmph, gusting to 70 kmph, on 1 and 2 November, with fairly widespread to widespread rain on 2 November. Rayalaseema is forecast to get isolated to scattered rain until 4 November.

Fishermen told to stay ashore on 1-2 November

The IMD Meteorological Centre in Amaravati has warned of squally weather along and off the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coast, with winds of 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph on 1 November and 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph on 2 November. Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea on those days. There is no such warning for the Andhra coast on 30 and 31 October.

What became of Arnab

The remnant of Cyclone Arnab weakened into a well-marked low pressure area over central Chhattisgarh and adjoining Odisha at 5:30 pm on 29 October, and is expected to weaken further over the next 24 hours. In the 24 hours to 8:30 am on 29 October, extremely heavy rain of more than 21 cm was recorded at places in Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam.

IMD’s advice to farmers in Coastal Andhra Pradesh is to drain excess water from fields of rice, pigeon pea, maize, cotton and vegetables quickly, prop up lodged maize and chilli plants once the weather improves, and hold off rabi sowing in the southern zone until the rain recedes.