Cyclone Mocha: There Is 'No Imminent Threat' In West Bengal, Says Met Office

Kolkata: The met office on Sunday forecast light to moderate rainfall in several districts across West Bengal due to a rise in humidity level and heat on May 8. There is no immediate threat from Cyclone Mocha, the route of which will be clearer in the next two days, the weatherman said.

With the maximum temperature in Kolkata slated to rise to 38.4 degrees Celsius along with an 85 per cent humidity level on Monday, there is a possibility of light to moderate rainfall accompanied by lightning in the city, North and South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Bankura, Birbhum, Purba Medinipur, Howrah, Purba and Paschim Bardhaman, a met office spokesperson said.

"However there is very little possibility of rains caused by the cyclone in the next two days and the picture will be clearer by Tuesday," he said.

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Light rains are also forecast in the northern part of the state - in the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Coochbehar, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda in the next 24 hours, he said.

However, there is no possibility of north Bengal districts coming under the influence of the cyclone as the cyclonic system, if formed, may make landfall finally in the coastal belt of Bangladesh-Myanmar by the end of next week affecting south Bengal, the spokesperson said to persistent questions.

Storm brewing in Bay of Bengal, likely to intensify into Cyclone Mocha

A cyclonic circulation formed in the southeast Bay of Bengal on Saturday, which is seen by weather scientists as the first step of the development of a possible severe cyclonic storm in the region this week.

"A cyclonic circulation lies over the southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood in lower and middle tropospheric levels. Under its influence, a Low-Pressure Area is likely to form over the same region by May 8," Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General, India Meteorological Department (IMD), said.

He said the details about the path and intensification will be provided after the formation of a low-pressure area.

Mohapatra said the weather system was likely to concentrate into a depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal around May 9 and intensify into a cyclonic storm and move nearly northward towards the central Bay of Bengal.

The cyclone will be named Mocha (Mokha), a name suggested by Yemen after the Red Sea port city, which is known to have introduced coffee to the world over 500 years ago.

The weather office has warned fishermen of squally weather in the southeast Bay of Bengal with windspeed reaching 40-50 kmph from Sunday onwards.

"Those who are over southeast Bay of Bengal are advised to return to safer places before May 7 and those over central Bay of Bengal are advised to return before May 9," the weather office said.

It has also suggested that regulation of tourism and offshore activities and shipping near Andaman and Nicobar Islands between May 8 and 12.