A cyclonic storm is likely to hit the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on Saturday morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.

“Yesterday’s low pressure over south Thailand & neighbourhood emerged into the central Andaman Sea in the same evening (1730 hrs IST). It persisted over the same region at 0830 hours on Wednesday”, IMD in its latest weather bulletin said.

It is likely to move west-northwestwards and concentrate into a depression over southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal by tomorrow and intensify into a cyclonic storm over central parts of the Bay of Bengal during the subsequent 24 hours.

Subsequently, it is likely to move northwestwards, intensify further and reach near north Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coasts around 4 December morning.

Light to moderate rain or thundershower very likely to occur at many places over the districts of south coastal Odisha and at a few places over rest districts Odisha on 3 December, light to moderate rain or thundershower very likely to occur at most places over districts of coastal Odisha and at many places over the districts of interior Odisha on 4 December. Light to moderate rain or thundershower is very likely to occur at most places over the districts of north coastal Odisha and at many places over rest districts of Odisha on 5 December.

Heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at isolated places over the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur from 3 to 4 December.

Sounding a red warning, IMD said, heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at a few places with isolated extremely heavy rain (more than 20 cm) over the districts of Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur from 4 to 5 December.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Cuttack, and Puri from 5 to 6 December, IMD said issuing an orange warning.

Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kilometers per hour(kmph) gusting to 65 kmph is likely to commence along & off Odisha coasts from the mid-night of 3 December and increase gradually becoming 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph from 4 December morning hours, for the subsequent 12 hours.

Issuing warnings of damage to crops due to inundation and strong wind, the IMD asked the farmers to complete the harvest of matured paddy crops. The harvested paddy should be shifted to safer places. Arrangement for drainage of excess water from standings crops in growing stage fields should be done. The weather bulletin also asked for the harvest of the paddy at 85% maturity of the grains. If threshing is not possible then it should be covered with polythene to keep it safe from rain.

The weathermen requested the farmers to delay the sowing of Rabi crops like Maize, Wheat, Pulses, Oilseeds, Vegetables, and spices.

The IMD also sought for the postponement of sowing of rabi crops like Green gram, black gram, and Mustard and vegetables like potato, onion, and coriander.