Cyclone Akvan set to form over Bay, light rain likely from Wed: Met | Kolkata News

The cyclone will be called Akvan once it forms, a name given by Iran

Kolkata: A depression over the southeast and southwest Bay of Bengal is steadily gaining strength and is projected to intensify into a cyclone on Monday and turn into a very severe cyclonic storm over the next four days, according to a special bulletin issued by the Regional Meteorological Centre in Kolkata on Sunday.While the trajectory of the cyclone is not yet clear, it could move towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, said weathermen. This will be the third cyclone to hit the Andhra coast in less than three weeks. While cyclone Arnab struck the Andhra coast on Oct 28, it was followed by cyclone Murasu on Nov 2. The cyclone will be called Akvan once it forms, a name given by Iran.Meteorologists expect the system to continue moving north-northwestwards, intensifying into a cyclonic storm over the central parts of the south and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal by Monday. By Tuesday, it is likely to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm over the westcentral Bay of Bengal, before escalating into a very severe cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 120 to 130 kmph gusting up to 145 kmph by the morning of Thursday.Under its impact, Kolkata and south Bengal may receive light rain from Nov 18. “The showers may gain intensity on Nov 19 and 20, but heavy rain is not yet predicted. Coastal areas of south Bengal are likely to receive heavier rain but the intensity can’t be predicted till the cyclone pathway can be predicted more clearly,” said HR Biswas, deputy director-general of meteorology.While the RMC has issued no weather warnings for Bengal up to Nov 18, officials confirmed the system remains under continuous surveillance. However, peripheral effects of the approaching system are forecast to bring a change in weather conditions later in the week. Between the mornings of Nov 18 and Nov 19, light rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at one or two places over North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Kolkata, and Howrah.Weather activity is expected to pick up further between Nov 19 and Nov 20, with light to moderate rain or thundershowers predicted at a few places across North and South 24 Parganas, East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, Kolkata, and Hooghly. Isolated locations in the rest of South Bengal are also likely to experience light rain.