People have been struggling this year due to a lack of expected rainfall. Now, a new update from the weather department is raising hopes, but at the same time, cyclone warnings are causing some alarm.<img>A depression has formed over the west-central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal. On the morning of September 22, it was centred about 200 km from Gopalpur, 200 km from Kalingapatnam, 210 km from Puri, and 290 km from Visakhapatnam. The weather department revealed that it has moved west at a speed of about 18 km/h in the last six hours. It will likely intensify into a deep depression in the next 12 hours and then continue moving west-northwest towards the North Andhra Pradesh–South Odisha coasts. According to current official estimates, it might cross the coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur between the night of September 23 and the early morning of September 24.<img>The name ‘Arnab’ has not been officially announced yet. If the system strengthens to a cyclone, ‘Arnab’ will be the next name used. Bangladesh suggested this name. In Bengali, ‘Arnab’ means sea or ocean. So, for now, it’s better to call it a depression in the Bay of Bengal. Whether it will strengthen into a cyclone depends on the upcoming weather conditions.<img>This system is expected to bring more rain to North Andhra. According to the latest IMD bulletin, the North Andhra coast is likely to see widespread rain and thunderstorms, with some areas possibly getting heavy showers. The impact could be felt from Srikakulam to other parts of coastal Andhra. Officials are advising people to be alert as gusty winds are expected in coastal areas. The sea is also likely to get rough. Local cautionary signals are already active at Kalingapatnam, Bhimunipatnam, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, and Kakinada ports. The IMD stated that sea conditions along the North Andhra coast could get very rough. <p>Satellite animation of #Depression over Westcentral & adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal pic.twitter.com/OyAVTphcgr</p><p>— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) September 22, 2026</p><img>The Odisha government has started taking precautions as the impact of the weather changes is expected to be high. Officials predict that heavy rains could lead to waterlogging in low-lying areas and rising river levels. With some areas expected to get up to 20 cm of rain, holidays have been declared for schools and Anganwadi centres in several districts. Reports say precautionary measures are in place in Khurda, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, and Gajapati districts. Ports along the Odisha coast have also been issued warnings. Officials are warning fishermen not to go out into the sea.<img>This weather system is likely to affect Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, as well as West Bengal. The IMD has issued warnings for heavy rain in several parts of West Bengal from September 23 to 25. It warned that districts in South Bengal and some parts of North Bengal could see heavy to very heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, the intensity of wind and rain is expected to increase along the North Andhra–South Odisha coasts. It’s too early to say a cyclone has formed; for now, it’s a depression strengthening into a deep depression. We should get more clarity on the situation in the next 24 hours. Overall, while this may bring some relief to farmers waiting for rain, people in areas with heavy rain and strong winds must stay alert.
