The depression over North-West Bay of Bengal off South Odisha was located 190 km south-south-west of Paradip, 110 km east-south-east of Paradip and 390 km south-south-west of Digha this morning.

The system beat forecasts to maintain strength overnight, an India Met Department (IMD) update said. It is expected to weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area by tomorrow.

It would continue to move northeastwards off the Odisha coast (which is literally keeping parallel with the coast while avoiding a brush with it) aiming a wash-over likely along Bengal coast.

RAIN FOR ODISHA, BENGAL

As for today's forecast, the IMD sees possibility of rainfall at most places over Coastal Odisha until the evening with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely at isolated places. It may reduce in intensity thereafter.

Adjoining Coastal Bengal could see rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very rain until tomorrow morning, before there can be some let-up.

Squally winds reaching 40-50 km/hr in speed and gusting to 60 km/hr would prevail along and off South Odisha coast until evening and along and off the North Odisha and Bengal coasts until tomorrow.

Sea conditions would be 'rough' to 'very rough' along and off South Odisha coast until the evening and alng and off the North Odisha and West Bengal coasts until tomorrow.

Fishermen have been warned against venturing out into the sea along and off both the Odisha and Bengal coasts until tomorrow morning.

BUZZ BUILDING OFF PHILIPPINES

Meanwhile, the US Joint Typhoon Warning Centre has declared a cyclone formation alert (depression and above) in the Sulu Sea, just west of Mindanao in the Philippine archipelago.

It had located a circulation taking shape to the east of the archipelago yesterday, which had travelled overnight into the Sulu Sea across the islands, the gateway to South China Sea.

The west-northwest track would take it to the open waters of the South China Sea, where it could build further mass to become a likely cyclone (typhoon).

This track would guide it into breaking up over the Vietnam coast first, with a remnant passing south-west into the Gulf of Thailand and onward into the North Andaman Sea.

The IMD has already set up a watch for a fresh low-pressure area taking shape here early next week, with implications for the East Coast of India, especially the Tamil Nadu coast.

The movement and track of the system over Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal would bear watching for assessing the implications for the coast.

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