Cyclone Gulab to hit south Odisha, north Andhra Pradesh on Sunday evening

This is the third cyclone of 2021 after Tauktae and Yaas that had formed in May this year.

Like most recent storms that have crossed Indian coasts, this system, too, is rapidly intensifying. In less than 48 hours, it intensified from low pressure (wind speed less than 34kms/hr) to a deep depression (wind speed 51 to 61kms/hr).

In the wake of the approaching storm, the IMD has forecast light to moderate intensity (2.4mm to 644mm in 24-hours) over West Bengal, Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.

On Sunday, the Met department has warned of very heavy to extremely heavy rain (115.6mm to over 204.4mm in 24-hours) over south Odisha, north coastal Andhra Pradesh. Heavy rain is likely over Telangana, north interior Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Due to rough sea conditions and intense winds, fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea till Monday.

Cyclone data between 1990 – 2021 show that only 14 cyclones developed during September (see table below) with just three storms between 2011 – 2021 (excluding the yet to develop cyclone Gulab).

Cyclones formed in the Bay of Bengal in September (Source: IMD)