A weather system over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression on 22 September 2026. The India Meteorological Department forecast that it would cross the north Andhra Pradesh-South Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur during the night of 23 September to the early hours of 24 September 2026.
Deep Depression in Indian Meteorology
A deep depression is a tropical weather system stronger than a depression and weaker than a cyclonic storm. In the North Indian Ocean basin, such systems are monitored by the India Meteorological Department under the tropical cyclone warning framework.
Location and Movement of the System
At 5:30 p.m. IST on 22 September 2026, the system was located about 140 km east-southeast of Kalingapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, 150 km south-southeast of Gopalpur in Odisha, and 220 km east of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The forecast track placed the landfall zone along the coastal stretch between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur.
Rainfall and District-Level Alerts
The system was expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to North Coastal Andhra Pradesh, South Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. The IMD issued a red alert for Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, and Koraput districts in southern Odisha for 23 and 24 September 2026, with a warning of extremely heavy rainfall.
Important Facts for Exams
- The Bay of Bengal is one of the two major cyclone-forming basins in the North Indian Ocean, the other being the Arabian Sea.
- The India Meteorological Department is the national agency for weather forecasting and cyclone warnings in India.
- Red alert is used for very severe weather conditions that require immediate action by authorities.
- Visakhapatnam, Gopalpur, and Kalingapatnam are coastal locations on the eastern seaboard of India.
Administrative Measures and School Closures
Schools in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Srikakulam, and Alluri Sitharama Raju districts of Andhra Pradesh were declared closed on 23 September 2026. In Odisha, schools and Anganwadi centres were closed in Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Gajapati, and Malkangiri districts, with some closures extended until 24 September 2026.
Cyclone Naming in the North Indian Ocean
The system was not expected to intensify into a cyclone. The name “Arnab” had already been designated for the next cyclonic storm in the region under the naming system used for the North Indian Ocean.
