Bhubaneswar, October 20: A cyclonic storm is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal by October 23, the IMD said on Sunday. An upper air cyclonic circulation over Andaman sea is likely to intensify into a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours, the IMD said in a special bulletin. The weather system is expected to move west-northwestwards direction, and intensify into a depression by October 22 morning and into a cyclonic storm by October 23 over eastcentral Bay of Bengal, it said. Depression over West Central Bay of Bengal Moves Closer to North Chennai.

"Thereafter, it is very likely to move northwestwards and reach the northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha-West Bengal coasts by October 24 morning," it added. Under its influence, the coastal region of Odisha is likely to receive heavy rainfall from October 23 to 25, the IMD said. Fishermen were advised to return to the shore by October 21. IMD Director General Mrutyunjaya Mohapatra on Saturday said that squally weather with wind speeds 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is likely to prevail over the Bay of Bengal on October 21-22.