After a PhD student from Saskatchewan University in Canada predicted that such a weather oddity may impact the Indian coast, rumours about the “super cyclone” began to circulate.
On Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department issued a warning for a potential cyclone that might form over the Bay of Bengal early the next week.
The IMD emphasised that it had not issued any such alert and that predictions based on a US weather forecast model that a “super cyclone” could hit India’s eastern coast had been disregarded as “rumours” on Saturday.
However, a cyclonic circulation that formed on Monday over the southern Andaman Sea and its surroundings was reported by the regional weather forecasting centre of the IMD in Kolkata on Tuesday morning.
It was over the North Andaman Sea by this morning.
IMD’s RWFC statement
Within the following 48 hours, a low-pressure region is predicted to develop over the southeast and adjacent east-central Bay of Bengal.
By the morning of October 22 over the middle Bay of Bengal, it is likely to concentrate into a depression and proceed in a west-northwest trajectory.
Following that, it is highly likely to become a cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay of Bengal.
Saskatchewan University in Canada candidate statement
Rumors about the “mega cyclone” started to spread after a PhD candidate from Saskatchewan University in Canada projected that such a weather anomaly may affect the Indian coast.
The “super cyclone” was given the name Sitrang by him. It is still too early to draw conclusions regarding its severity or trajectory.
The official stated, “We’re watching.”