A low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify and reach the coasts of Bangladesh and West Bengal as a severe cyclonic storm by Sunday evening.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this marks the first cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this pre-monsoon season and it will be named Remal.
IMD scientist Monica Sharma stated, "The system will concentrate into a depression over the central Bay of Bengal by Friday morning. It will further intensify into a cyclonic storm on Saturday morning and reach Bangladesh and the adjoining West Bengal coast as a severe cyclonic storm by Sunday evening."
Meanwhile, the cyclone could reach wind speeds of 102 kilometers per hour on Sunday.
The IMD has warned of very heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of West Bengal, north Odisha, Mizoram, Tripura, and south Manipur on May 26-27.
However, fisherfolk have been advised to return to the coast and avoid venturing into the Bay of Bengal until May 27.
Moreover, scientists suggest that cyclonic storms are becoming stronger at a faster rate and staying powerful for longer periods because of the warmer temperatures of ocean surfaces.
This warmth is a consequence of oceans absorbing the majority of the additional heat generated by greenhouse gas emissions.
Over the past 30 years, sea surface temperatures have been the highest since records began in 1880.
Senior IMD scientist DS Pai noted that warmer sea surface temperatures result in more moisture, which aids in the intensification of cyclones.
While, Madhavan Rajeevan, former secretary of the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, explained that a sea surface temperature of 27 degrees Celsius and above is needed for a low-pressure system to develop into a cyclone.
Currently, the Bay of Bengal's temperature is around 30 degrees Celsius.
