Cyclone over Bay of Bengal may spoil Diwali weekend

TNN | Oct 22, 2016, KOLKATA: A cyclonic storm is brewing around a thousand kilometres from Kolkata. It not only threatens to spoil the Diwali weekend, but has also pushed up the humidity that had tumbled sharply last week. Even though the initial movement of the cyclonic system - now stationed across central and south-east Bay of Bengal -could be towards Myanmar, the possibility of it veering towards the Bengal coast is not being ruled out.

"The system is now a deep depres sion that will transform into a cyclonic storm over the next 48 hours. Satellite images suggest it will move towards Myanmar. By Sunday evening, it should hit the Myanmar coast after which we will have a better idea of its subsequent course," said G K Das, director, Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC). Over the next seven days, it may have an impact on the weather in south Bengal. While cyclonic storms are common along the eastern coast in October, this one has had a profound impact on the weather.

Immediately after the pujas, the minimum temperature in Kolkata had dropped by nearly two degrees.Humidity , too, had plunged briefly on ly to spiral again under the influence of a moisture-incursion. So, the hint of an early winter disappeared soon.Formation of systems in the Bay of Bengal has kept the moisture level high, making it uncomfortable, said Das. "It had seemed that the weather is going to turn pleasant but low-pressure systems over the Bay led to moisture-incursion that pushed up the humidity once more. Now, with the cyclonic storm brewing, humidity will remain high. The minimum temperature is slowly climbing down and has been hovering around the normal mark, though," he added.

The maximum relative humidity had slid to 87% on October 16 from 97% on October 11. It spiralled to 93% on October 20. With a major system brewing in the Bay of Bengal, it should remain high for the rest of the week, the RMC said. "We are monitoring the storm, but it's too early to predict if it will hit the Bengal or Odisha coast," said Das.