Bhubaneswar, October 24: A well-marked low-pressure area over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression at 5:30 PM IST on October 24, 2026, according to the latest weather update.

The system was centred over the same region near latitude 15.8°N and longitude 90.7°E. It was located approximately 510 km north-northwest of Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman Islands, 820 km east-southeast of Visakhapatnam, 910 km east-southeast of Kakinada, 1,020 km east of Machilipatnam and 1,100 km east of Bapatla in Andhra Pradesh.

The depression is very likely to move nearly southwards initially and intensify into a deep depression before gradually recurving west-northwestwards over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on October 25.

Continuing its west-northwestward movement, the system is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 26. It is likely to strengthen further into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal around the morning of October 27.

The weather system is subsequently expected to move northwestwards and intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm, reaching the west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh coast around the morning of October 28.

According to the forecast, the system is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of October 28 as a very severe cyclonic storm. At landfall, it is expected to pack maximum sustained winds of 115–125 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 140 kmph.

With the system forecast to intensify and approach the eastern coastline, a pre-cyclone watch has been issued for the Andhra Pradesh and adjoining South Odisha coasts. Authorities and coastal communities are advised to closely monitor official weather bulletins and follow advisories issued by the relevant disaster management agencies.