New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday warned that a cyclonic system is brewing over the Bay of Bengal, with a low-pressure area formed over the Strait of Malacca and the adjoining South Andaman Sea on November 22 expected to intensify into a depression around November 24, 2025.

The department has issued a heavy rainfall alert for several southern states and Union territories in anticipation of the developing weather system.

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The IMD stated, “A Low Pressure area has formed over Strait of Malacca & adjoining South Andaman Sea on 22nd November. It is likely to intensify into depression over southeast Bay of Bengal around 24th November 2025.”

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the agency had issued a Special Message as per its cyclone-monitoring protocol.

He said, “We issued the Special Message on Saturday the first one because as per our SOP (standard operating procedure), whenever we expect the development of a cyclone, we start issuing Special Message(s) from the stage of low-pressure formation.”

Once the system strengthens, he added, “Once the system becomes a depression, bulletins are issued every six hours.”

Bay of Bengal cyclone

The IMD’s evening update (based on 1730 hours IST) said the low-pressure area persisted over the Strait of Malacca and adjoining South Andaman Sea, with an associated cyclonic circulation extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level. The system is “very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal around 24th November 2025,” and may intensify further over the southwest Bay during the subsequent 48 hours.

Multiple cyclonic circulations also persist over east Bangladesh, the southeast Arabian Sea, and the Comorin-Indian Equatorial Ocean region, the bulletin noted.

Heavy rainfall warning

According to the IMD’s bulletin issued on Saturday, light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy showers is expected across Tamil Nadu (Nov 22–25), Kerala & Mahe (Nov 22–26), Lakshadweep (Nov 22–23), Rayalaseema (Nov 22), and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands on several dates. Isolated very heavy rain is likely over Andaman & Nicobar on November 24 and 25.

Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph are forecast for Tamil Nadu, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Kerala, Mahe, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Coastal Karnataka, and South Interior Karnataka on different days through the week.

IMD rainfall alert

  • Heavy rainfall very likely at isolated places over Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Kerala & Mahe, Lakshadweep, and Tamil Nadu–Puducherry–Karaikal.
  • Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (40–50 kmph) are very likely at isolated places over Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
  • Thunderstorms with lightning are also likely at isolated places over Andhra Pradesh, Kerala & Mahe, Lakshadweep, and Tamil Nadu–Puducherry–Karaikal.