Cyclone Asani may bring rain to Kolkata, south Bengal from Tuesday, says IMD – Times of India

Kolkata: A low-pressure area that formed over South Andaman Sea on Friday is set to develop into a cyclonic storm — ‘Asani’ — that will head close to the north Andhra-Odisha coast on May 10. It could subsequently ‘recurve’ and move towards the Bengal-Bangladesh coast, keep surging towards the Andhra-Odisha coast or lose strength and weaken into a depression, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Irrespective of the possibilities, Kolkata and south Bengal may receive heavy rain between May 10 and 13 due to the moisture incursion triggered by the proximity of ‘Asani’.
The cyclone — named by Sri Lanka — now extends up to the ‘mid-stratospheric’ levels and is likely to move northwestwardwards, intensify into a depression by the evening of May 7 and into a cyclonic storm by May 8 evening.
“It is very likely to continue to move northwestwards and reach West-Central Bay of Bengal, off north Andhra-Odisha coasts by May 10,” said an IMD bulletin.
On May 10, Asani should be around 200 km from the north Andhra-Odisha coast. “There are diverse possibilities after that, including the chance of Asani making a ‘recurve’ and heading towards the Bengal-Bangladesh coast. It may even lose steam and weaken into a depression or keep moving northwest in which case it will hit the Andhra-Odisha coast,” said Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) director GK Das.
All south Bengal districts, including the coastal ones and Kolkata, may receive thunderstorms and rain between May 10 and 13. “Moisture incursion due to a strong easterly wind generated by Asani will lead to the formation of thunderclouds over Jharkhand, leading to thunderstorms and rain. The rain could get heavier in case Asani heads towards the Bengal coast. But it’s still not clear,” added Das.
Meanwhile, Kolkata remained warm and humid on Friday with the maximum temperature touching 36.4 degrees. The mercury may continue to hover around 36 degrees on Saturday and chances of rain or thunderstorm were low till May 10.
Thunderstorms, though, struck Birbhum and Murshidabad on Friday.
Explaining the repeated formation of cyclones over Bay of Bengal, weather scientists said it was a ‘good location’ for them due to the weather conditions. “It is ideal for the formation of cyclones as this region receives more rainfall along with slow breezes that keep the temperature reasonably warm all year. The warm air currents help in cyclone development as it raises the temperature of the surface,” said a weather scientist.
South Bengal and Kolkata have been hit by two cyclones since 2019 — Bulbul and Amphan. Last year, cyclone Yaas had hit the Odisha coast but caused heavy rain in Kolkata and south Bengal.