The India Meteorological Department (IMD), in its daily weather bulletin, stated on Sunday that severe cyclonic storm Remal has intensified over the north Bay of Bengal, posing a significant threat to coastal regions. As of 5:30 am on Sunday, Remal was located approximately 290 km south-southwest of Khepupara, Bangladesh, and 270 km south-southeast of Sagar Islands, West Bengal, the IMD stated.
The storm will continue its northward movement, intensifying further before making landfall between Sagar Island and Khepupara near Mongla, Bangladesh, by midnight, according to the forecast. It is predicted to bring maximum sustained winds of 110-120 kmph, gusting up to 135 kmph.
Ahead of cyclone Remal's landfall, heavy to very heavy rainfall is predicted for West Bengal, particularly its coastal districts and eastern Gangetic regions, from May 26 afternoon to noon of May 27. The IMD forecast stated that isolated extremely heavy rainfall, exceeding 20 cm, is also likely. North coastal Odisha will experience light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy downpours on May 26.
The northeastern states, including Mizoram, Tripura, south Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, are expected to see heavy rainfall from May 26 to 28, with some regions anticipating extremely heavy rainfall.
Advisory for fishermen issued
The IMD advised fishermen to avoid the south Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea until May 26, the central Bay of Bengal until May 26, and the North Bay of Bengal until May 27. Those already at sea have been urged to return to the coast immediately.
Weather systems and rainfall predictions
Several cyclonic circulations are influencing the weather patterns across India. One lies over south Kerala, extending up to 3.1 km above sea level. Another is over Vidarbha in Maharashtra at 1.5 km above sea level, and a third is over southeast Rajasthan, extending up to 0.9 km above sea level. A trough extends from southeast Rajasthan to Telangana across Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha at 0.9 km above sea level.
These systems are expected to cause fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds (30-40 kmph), over Kerala, Mahe, Lakshadweep, and Coastal Karnataka over the next seven days. Similar weather is predicted for Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karaikal, Telangana, and interior Karnataka on May 26. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely in Kerala and Mahe from May 26 to 29. Chhattisgarh will see light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms on May 26, while Jharkhand and Bihar will experience similar conditions from May 26 to 28. Strong surface winds (40-50 kmph) are expected over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on May 26, and winds of 25-35 kmph will prevail over Rajasthan from May 26 to 29.
Heatwave conditions in rest of India
Alongside the cyclonic activity, a severe heatwave is affecting various parts of India. Maximum temperatures between 44-48°C were recorded in West Rajasthan, with other regions, including East Rajasthan, West Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, and parts of Gujarat, Haryana, Telangana, and Marathwada, experiencing temperatures in the range of 40-44°C. These temperatures are significantly above normal, by 4-6°C in many areas.
Heatwave conditions are expected to persist in isolated pockets of Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, and Vidarbha from May 26 to 30. Rajasthan will experience severe heatwave conditions throughout the same period. Other affected regions include Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh, West and East Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat. Hot and humid weather is likely to prevail in Gujarat on May 26 and 27, while warm night conditions will affect Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana-Chandigarh-Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh from May 26 to 30.
Authorities have issued advisories to stay hydrated, avoid direct sunlight during peak hours, and take necessary precautions to mitigate heat-related health risks.
