A Bay system tipped to intensify into a cyclone is expected to hit land in Andhra Pradesh by the middle of next week.
Calcutta is too far from the system to bear any direct impact. However, after landfall, a weaker version of the storm may cause some showers in the city. In any case, the city will have to wait for the winter’s chill for at least another week, according to the Met forecast.
“The next few days are likely to be partially cloudy in Calcutta. Some of the clouds are likely to come from the system. Northeasterly winds continue to remain strong in the city at the moment. The moisture in the northeasterly winds will also lead to the formation of some clouds,” said G.K. Das, director, India Meteorological Department, Calcutta.
Northeasterly winds reach Calcutta via Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bangladesh, sometimes, Bay of Bengal. They stall the flow of northwesterly winds, the agents of chill in Calcutta.
After the cyclone makes landfall, it is expected to weaken. But even if it moves towards Odisha as a depression or low-pressure area after landfall, the coastal areas of south Bengal are likely to get some rain. “Some rain is not ruled out in Calcutta on December 6-7. So, the northwesterly winds are unlikely to gain steam before at least December 7,” said Das.
Days are usually cold in Calcutta from mid-December. But nights and early mornings have a hint of chill from a month ahead. But for the past several days, the night chill has been missing, too. The Met office recorded a minimum temperature of 20.1 degree Celsius in Alipore on Friday. It was three notches above usual.
The Bay system was a depression over southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal on Friday. At 11.30am, it was 860km southeast of Nellore (Andhra Pradesh), a Met bulletin said.
“It would... cross south Andhra Pradesh between Nellore and Machilipatnam during the forenoon of December 5 as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 80-90kmph gusting up to 100kmph,” the bulletin said.