Odisha, West Bengal likely to receive rainfall in next few days: IMD Director

A cyclone that is likely to form in the southern Bay of Bengal by Saturday (April 16) evening will bring rainfall to Odisha and West Bengal, said Director General IMD Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

"Under the influence of the low-pressure system, we expect rainfall to start over coastal Odisha from May 18. We are also expecting rainfall over West Bengal on May 19 and May 20, with occurrence of heavy rainfall at a few places," he said while speaking to .

"The low-pressure system over the southeast Bay of Bengal is expected to concentrate into a depression today evening or night and further intensify into a cyclonic storm over south and adjoining central parts of the Bay of Bengal by tomorrow evening," he added.

Talking about the sea conditions due to the changing weather system, the IMD Director said, "sea area would become rough to very rough and there will be disturbance over the central part of the Bay of Bengal between May 15-17 and in the north Bay of Bengal during May 18 to May 20."

The IMD has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea for the next couple of days.

He further said, "Normal monsoon is expected this year and quantitatively the monsoon rainfall for the country overall expected is 100 per cent of the long period average."

"The advisory on the second stage of monsoon would be at the end of May or in the first week of June."

Earlier in the morning, IMD had predicted that the onset of southwest monsoon over Kerala this year is likely to be delayed slightly.

The monsoon is expected to hit the state by June 5, four days after its normal date of onset.

( With inputs from ANI )