The cyclonic storm Jawad that lay centred over the westcentral of Bengal till 2.30 pm today, is predicted to trigger heavy to very heavy rainfall in coastal districts of the state and moderate showers at most places of the Gangetic West Bengal for the next three days.

The cyclone is tipped to hit off Puri coast on Sunday noon after taking a recurve north and north-eastwards. Brewing over the west-central Bay of Bengal, cyclone Jawad is expected to turn into a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ at a speed of about 90- 100 kmph gusting to 110 by 11.30am today.

However, Kolkata along with North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, East Midnapore, West Midnapore and Jhargram are likely to experience gusty winds having speed reaching 30-40 kmph tomorrow. The wind speed on the next day is predicted to increase and the Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Howrah, and Hooghly are likely to experience gusty wind reaching the speed of 40- 50 kmph.

This apart, heavy to very heavy rain of about 70 mm to 200mm are predicted to occur at one or two places over East Midnapore and West Midnapore districts tomorrow. On Sunday, when the cyclone is tipped to touch the coast near Puri in Odisha around noon, Kolkata and the other districts including North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Jhargram, Howrah, and Hooghly are predicted to receive heavy to very heavy rain.

Issuing advisory to regulate judiciously for off-shore and alongshore operations along West Bengal coasts right from today, the Met department has informed that the sea condition to remain rough to very rough along and off West Bengal coast from the next morning and very rough to high from the next evening for the subsequent 12 hours.

Meanwhile, starting from today, four trains in the up directions have been cancelled in the South Eastern Railway, in the wake of the brewing cyclone. In the down direction, the zonal railway has announced the cancellation of six long-distance trains. NDRF Director General Atul Karwal said 18 teams have been deployed in West Bengal. “Gulaab se zyada, Titli see kam (more than Gulaab and less than Titli),” is how the Director-General Mrutyunjay Mahapatra described the intensity of Jawad. In Bengal, cyclone Bulbul two years ago had wind speed of 120 kmph. When Jawad reaches the Bengal coast, it will be weakened and the wind speed would be 60-70 kmph.

“As at now, it is a severe cyclonic storm and we are expecting 90-100 kmph wind speed near the coast,” he added.