Cyclone Asani: Weatherman predicts scattered rain in Bihar till Friday

PATNA: There will be some respite from scorching heat in Bihar for few days as cyclone Asani is packing gale-force winds up to 120 kmph on Monday. Patna and few other places in the state received light rainfall on Monday as well. The temperature has also dipped by several notches in almost all the districts.
Though cyclone Asani is unlikely to have any direct impact in Bihar but the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted scattered rainfall in the state till May 13.
According to IMD, cyclone ‘Asani’, a name given by Sri Lanka, intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, equivalent of I hurricane, on Sunday evening. The national weather forecasting agency further stated on Monday evening that Asani was situated west-central Bay of Bengal, 410 km south-east of Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and 590 km south of Puri (Odisha).
Though it is unlikely to make landfall but the IMD has stated that it would pass parallel to east coast and may lead to heavy rainfall in coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal over the next two days. It is likely to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm during next 24 hours, the weather agency stated on Monday evening.
Weathermen at Patna meteorological centre claimed that though Bihar is unlikely to witness any direct impact of cyclone Asani but few places in eastern parts of the state may receive light rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday.
“The outer cloud band along with the already prevailing moist easterly winds may cause light rainfall at a few places, primarily in east Bihar, on May 11 and 12. We will be able to give more precise forecast depending upon the course of the cyclone over the next 24 hours. It has already started weakening and may reduce further to a deep depression after 24 hours,” Vivek Sinha, director at Patna meteorological centre told TOI on Monday evening.
The meteorological centre has also issued yellow-coloured warning for thunderstorm with lightening at isolated places north-west, north-central, north-east and south-east parts of the state on Tuesday and Wednesday. Besides, heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places over Supal, Araria, Kishanganj and Madhepura on Thursday, followed by thunderstorm and lightening in parts of north and south-east Bihar on Friday.
“Easterly and south-easterly winds are blowing across the state. Besides, a cyclonic circulation is situated over east Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring areas. As a result, north-west, north central and north-eastern parts of the state are likely to witness thundering and lightening along with light to moderate rainfall over the next 24 to 48 hours,” said Kamini Kumari, an official at Patna meteorological centre.
The overcast along with rainy weather has brought down mercury to comparatively lower levels from the last few days. The maximum temperature was not above 40 degrees C anywhere in the state on Monday. The highest maximum temperature was recorded at Gaya (38.8 degrees C).