The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday said that southwest monsoon has advanced into the south Andaman Sea on Friday morning. The development also marks the start of the four-month rainfall season. The IMD has already predicted that the monsoon is expected to be normal this year. Meanwhile, a low-pressure area is expected to develop over the central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal and this system is most likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by May 26.
“In association with the strengthening and deepening of the southwesterly winds, the southwest monsoon has advanced over the southwest and southeast Bay of Bengal, south Andaman Sea and Nicobar islands,” the IMD said in its special weather update, issued on Friday afternoon.
With the arrival of the monsoon, light to moderate rain is forecast till Sunday over the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Squally winds with the speed of around 50 km/hour to 60km/hour could blow along the southeast Bay of Bengal and south Andaman Sea from Friday onwards, the IMD said.
The IMD said that the cyclone, once formed, is expected to travel towards either coasts of Odisha or West Bengal, where the Met department was warned of heavy rainfall to commence from May 25. Sea conditions will be rough to very rough over southeast Bay of Bengal & south Andaman Sea from 21st May onwards till 23rd May .