Very heavy rain forecast in parts of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura
Cyclone Midhili on the Bay of Bengal at 6.30 pm on November 17, 2023. Screengrab: Windy.com Cyclone Midhili moved north-northeastwards with a speed of 25 kilometres per hour in the last six hours over the northwest and adjoining northeast Bay of Bengal, according to India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) latest cyclone update at 4.30 pm on November 17, 2023.
The cyclone was centered over the northeast and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal at 2.30 pm on November 17. It was about 30 km south-south-west of the Khepupara coast of Bangladesh and 250 km south-west of Chittagong, Bangladesh.
Midhili is expected to intensify further with a wind speed of 65-75 kmph and can go up to 85 km per hour, the IMD bulletin stated. The cyclone is going to cross Bangladesh coast near Khepupara with squally winds. The process of landfall or collision of the storm will be completed in the next three hours, the bulletin stated, meaning around 7.30 pm.
An upper air cyclonic circulation lies over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka. The lower levels of this cyclonic circulation are associated with Cyclone Midhila over the northwest Bay of Bengal. A trough is extending till now.
At the same time, another area of cyclonic winds has formed in the lower and middle levels of the south Andaman Sea.
IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall over many parts of the coastal districts of West Bengal, like North 24 Parganas and heavy rainfall in some isolated areas till the evening of November 17.
On November 17 and 18, there may be heavy to very heavy rain in some parts of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. Light to moderate rain is expected over many parts of South Assam and East Meghalaya with heavy rain over some isolated regions on November 17 and 18.
On November 17, there were strong winds with a speed of 65-75 kmph over Bangladesh as well as North Bay of Bengal, which may further intensify to 85 km per hour. Stormy winds blowing at a speed of 50-60 kmph on and around the coast of West Bengal and are expected to intensify further and reach a speed of 70 kmph.
Squally winds of 45-55 kmph going up to 65 kmph are expected along and off Odisha coast. Stormy winds will blow at a speed of 40-50 kmph over the central Bay of Bengal and are expected to go up to 60 kmph.
In view of the stormy winds, IMD has issued a warning to fishermen not to go to these areas for fishing or related activities. A warning for damage in coastal areas of West Bengal (North 24 Parganas) has also been issued.
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