Cyclone Arnab: Check IMD weather predictions for West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh; heavy rain, thunderstorms, more

Cyclone Arnab is a very severe cyclone identified by the India Meteorological Department. The article places it over the west-central Bay of Bengal, off the Andhra Pradesh coast, in the IMD’s October 27 night assessment. It matters because its circulation is bringing dangerous rain, thunderstorms and winds across three eastern coastal states.

Andhra Pradesh is closest to the cyclone’s stated position and faces its strongest conditions on October 28. Odisha has extremely heavy rain, while Gangetic West Bengal is forecast to receive heavy rain on October 28 and 29. The system’s effects therefore stretch far beyond its centre.

The forecast track indicates that Arnab will move inland and weaken. Even so, rain and thunderstorms continue after October 28 in several areas. Odisha’s heavy-rain warning returns from November 1 to 3, while coastal Andhra Pradesh may again receive isolated heavy rain on November 2.

The heaviest and most dangerous conditions are concentrated around October 28. Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam may receive widespread rain, heavy to very heavy rain, and locally extremely heavy rain. Gale winds there may reach 115–125 kmph, with gusts up to 140 kmph. This is the article’s strongest wind forecast.

In Odisha, Ganjam is forecast to receive extremely heavy rain on October 28. Koraput, Puri and Cuttack are expected to receive very heavy rain, with thunderstorms, lightning and squalls. Gangetic West Bengal is forecast to receive heavy rain on October 28 and 29, with similar storm hazards.

Conditions change over time. Odisha’s warning falls to very heavy rain on October 29, with no warning listed on October 30 and 31, before heavy rain returns from November 1 to 3. Andhra Pradesh still faces storms and strong winds after October 28.

The forecast combines several rainfall categories with damaging wind speeds. In Andhra Pradesh and Yanam, October 28 brings widespread rain or thundershowers, scattered heavy to very heavy rain, and locally extremely heavy rain. Odisha also has an extremely heavy-rain warning that day, while Gangetic West Bengal has heavy rain.

The strongest winds are forecast along the Andhra Pradesh coast. Isolated places may experience gale winds of 115–125 kilometres per hour, with gusts up to 140 kilometres per hour on October 28. On October 29, winds may fall to 40–50 kilometres per hour, with gusts to 60.

The threat does not end immediately. Andhra Pradesh may see 30–40 kilometre-per-hour winds, gusting to 50, on October 30 and 31. Odisha’s warning changes to very heavy rain on October 29 and heavy rain again from November 1 to 3. The article gives no rainfall totals in millimetres.

The India Meteorological Department, or IMD, provides weather forecasts and warnings that divide a broad cyclone threat into places and time periods. District warnings show which inland districts may face heavy rain, lightning, thunderstorms or squalls. Coastal warnings focus attention on shoreline conditions, where wind and rain can be especially dangerous.

For example, the article gives district updates for Ganjam, Koraput, Puri and Cuttack in Odisha, and for several West Bengal districts. It also lists warnings for the northern and southern coasts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, as well as the West Bengal coast. These details make the wider cyclone forecast more locally useful.

Fishermen warnings specifically alert people at sea or planning to go to sea. The article does not describe the IMD’s administrative procedures or emergency powers. It does show the agency updating forecasts by date, district and coast, allowing people to avoid exposed areas and plan around changing conditions.

Fishermen are warned because the cyclone can make coastal and offshore conditions hazardous. The article lists thunderstorms, lightning, squalls, heavy rain and gale-force winds across coastal areas. These hazards can affect boats at sea, fishing operations and people preparing to travel from shore.

The most severe example is Andhra Pradesh on October 28. Gale winds may reach 115–125 kilometres per hour at isolated places, with gusts up to 140 kilometres per hour. Odisha has extremely heavy rain, while both northern and southern Odisha coasts receive fishermen warnings. Similar warnings cover both Andhra coasts and the West Bengal coast.

The threat changes by date but does not disappear immediately. Winds may still reach 40–50 kilometres per hour on October 29 in Andhra Pradesh, with gusts to 60. Fishermen warnings are therefore a safety signal to avoid exposed coastal and sea activity while the forecast hazards remain possible.

A cyclone combining extreme rain, lightning and gale-force winds can create several kinds of danger at once. Heavy rain may overwhelm drainage, flood roads and enter buildings. Strong winds can damage roofs, trees, signs and other structures. Lightning can injure people and start fires. These are established effects of severe storms, but the article does not report confirmed damage from Arnab.

The forecast shows why the risks matter. Ganjam faces extremely heavy rain on October 28. Andhra Pradesh may receive winds of 115–125 kmph, with gusts up to 140 kmph. Thunderstorms, lightning and squalls are also forecast in Odisha and West Bengal. Such conditions can make travel dangerous and interrupt outdoor work.

Power lines and crops may also be damaged by wind, falling trees, flooding or lightning. Roads can become blocked or unsafe, and buildings may suffer water or wind damage. The article provides warnings rather than an impact report, so the actual consequences will depend on where the strongest weather occurs and how long it lasts.

Tropical cyclones generally form over warm ocean water when heat and moisture fuel rising air. The rising air lowers pressure near the surface, drawing in more air. Earth’s rotation helps organize the inflow into a rotating system, while thunderstorms release additional heat and strengthen the circulation. This is established meteorological knowledge, not a process explained in the article.

As a storm becomes organized, its central circulation can produce bands of heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds. Cyclone Arnab’s forecast illustrates the result: Andhra Pradesh may receive locally extremely heavy rain and winds of 115–125 kmph on October 28, with gusts up to 140 kmph.

Cyclones usually weaken after moving inland because they are cut off from warm, moist ocean air. Land also creates more friction and disrupts the circulation. Arnab’s forecast specifically indicates movement inland followed by weakening. However, rainfall, thunderstorms and strong winds can continue after landfall, as the article’s later forecasts for Andhra Pradesh demonstrate.